Iran bans imports from Saudi Arabia, faces Saudi boycotts

Iran and Saudi Arabia took further steps to sever commercial ties on Thursday, intensifying a feud between the regional rivals, as Tehran announced a ban on imports from Saudi Arabia and Saudi groups called for boycotts of Iranian products. Iran's government said it had forbidden imports from Saudi Arabia after a cabinet meeting chaired by President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday morning. The cabinet also reaffirmed a ban on Umrah pilgrimages to Mecca. Compared to size of their economies, trade between both the countries is small, but thousands of Iranians travel to the kingdom every year to complete the haj.