DHAKA: Iran has accused Saudi-led coalition warplanes of damaging its embassy and injuring staff in an air strike on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.

State media quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying planes had deliberately targeted the site, reports the BBC.

But some later reports in Iran said missiles struck only in the vicinity of the embassy.

Residents and witnesses in Sanaa reported there was no damage to the main embassy building.

Sanaa residents reported dozens of air strikes on Thursday by the coalition, which is battling Houthi rebels.

Residents quoted by the media said missiles had struck 700m (2,300 feet) from the embassy, causing shrapnel and rocks to land near the building.

A coalition spokesman said the strikes had targeted rebel missile launchers, and that the rebels had used abandoned embassies for operations.

Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia has become embroiled in a diplomatic row with Iran after a Shia cleric, Nimr al-Nimr, was executed by the Saudi authorities.

Iranian protesters in Tehran, angry at the execution, then attacked the Saudi embassy, leading Saudi Arabia to cut off diplomatic relations.

A number of Saudi allies have followed suit in taking diplomatic action against Iran.

On Thursday, a statement read on Iranian state TV said the country had banned the import of all Saudi goods.

BDST: 2025 HRS, JAN 07, 2016
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