One of Iran’s most senior clerics has predicted the fall of Saudi Arabia's ruling family following the kingdom's execution of Shi’ite preacher Nimr al-Nimr.

Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami’s comments came as Iran’s foreign minister warned Saudi Arabia would pay a ‘high price’ for following policies that led to the execution of al-Nimr and 46 others for ‘terrorism offences’.

Ayatollah Khatami who branded the House of Saud ‘treacherous’, told the Mehr news agency: "I have no doubt that this pure blood will stain the collar of the House of Saud and wipe them from the pages of history.

"The crime of executing Sheikh Nimr is part of a criminal pattern by this treacherous family... the Islamic world is expected to cry out and denounce this infamous regime as much as it can."

His comments follow a warning last year from Iran that the execution of al-Nimr would "cost Saudi Arabia dearly", while the sentiment was echoed by a spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, Hossein Jaber Ansari, following al-Nimr’s death.

He told the official IRNA news agency: "The Saudi government supports terrorist movements and extremists, but confronts domestic critics with oppression and execution... the Saudi government will pay a high price for following these policies."

In pictures: Controversial executions Show all 5 1 /5 In pictures: Controversial executions In pictures: Controversial executions George Stinney Jr, 14 George Stinney Jr became the youngest person to be executed in the US in the 20th century when he was sent to the electric chair in 1944 during the trial that lasted less than three hours and reportedly bore no evidence and barely any witness testimonies. Reuters In pictures: Controversial executions Clayton Lockett, 38 Convicted of the murder and rape of 19-year-old Stephanie Neiman in 2000 and sentenced to death. Lockett died of a heart attack after a failed execution by lethal injection in April 2014 In pictures: Controversial executions Roy Blankenship, 55 Killed by lethal injection in 2011 after he murdered an elderly woman. Witnesses saw him grimace and jerk as he became the first person put to death in that state with pentobarbital. Medical experts said he “suffered greatly” In pictures: Controversial executions Michael Wilson, 38 Executed by lethal injection in January 2014. Wilson was convicted of murdering co-worker Richard Yost during a robbery at a convenience store in 1995. He is one of three people executed for the crime In pictures: Controversial executions Dennis McGuire, 53 Sentenced to death following the rape and murder of pregnant 22-year-old Joy Stewart in 1989. After spending 25 years on death row fighting the order to end his life, McGuire was executed by lethal injection in January 2014

The 2012 arrest of al-Nimr, who supported anti-government protests in the country’s Eastern Province in 2011, prompted civil unrest, which some fear could be repeated in the aftermath of the weekend’s mass execution.

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