Morocco severs Iran ties

Morocco has cut off diplomatic relations with Iran, accusing Tehran in a rare public spat of trying to spread Shia Islam in the Sunni Arab kingdom.

The tensions were compounded by recent Iranian comments towards Sunni-led Bahrain that have raised hackles in the Arab world, Morocco’s foreign ministry said.

The ministry accused largely-Shiite Iran’s embassy in Rabat of trying to “alter the religious fundamentals of the kingdom” and threaten Morocco’s religious unity.