Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Jamal told The Associated Press that the government sent a formal request to Saudi Arabia to replace the kingdom's ambassador in Baghdad, Thamer al-Sabhan. Jamal said Sabhan's reported comments are untrue and harm relations between the two countries.

The ambassador told Saudi state television that his country would "not abandon Iraq and the Iraqis", indicating the next ambassador will continue existing policy.

The spokesperson said that the Saudi ambassador made certain remarks regarding Iran's involvement in the country's affairs which were in contrast with the facts, causing outrage amongst the people of Iraq and forcing them to demand the Saudi ambassador's replacement.

Be Civil - It's OK to have a difference in opinion but there's no need to be a jerk.

Romo injury makes rookie Prescott sudden starter for Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys know how quickly life can change under center in the NFL. "You know what happened to Bledsoe and Brady", Jones continued.

Worldwide media organisations state that Al-Shaban was against the Iranian regime for quite some time whereas attempts to murder him were also made in 2011 by Iran but the plan eventually failed by the USA intelligence agencies. "Al-Sabhan didn't inform us as a ministry, or the government or the security ministries about an assassination attempt" allegedly carried out by a Shiite militia, the spokesman said.

Jamal alleged that Al Sabhan used his presence in Iraq to fan antipathy.

Saudi Arabia reopened its Baghdad embassy in December 2015, having cut ties following Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. "We clearly stated that we do not want Sabhan in Iraq." he said, before adding that if he were assassinated, "it will be an honor and will be proudly admitted". "We have a very amicable relationship with Iraqi politicians that the media does not capture".

The attack came a day after rockets fired from Yemen struck a power station in Najran, marking a rare hit on Saudi Arabia's infrastructure after months of periodic bombardment of the area. His posting got off to a rocky start however, with popular anger among in Iraq over the execution by Saudi Arabia a few days earlier of cleric Nimr Al-Nimr.