Iran summons Qatari envoy after attempts to fuel ethnic conflict

An Iranian semi-official news agency says Tehran has summoned Qatar’s envoy over an alleged Qatari link to a sabotage and terrorism group.

Fars agency says Iran’s Foreign Ministry wished to relay a strong protest to the Arab country.

On Sunday, Iran said it had arrested 12 people who had been preparing to “inflame ethnic conflict” through sabotage and assassination. It said they were linked to an Arab country and it is suspected that Qatar is supporting those rebels, but no more details were mentioned.

The two countries are at odds in several regional issues, notably the Syrian civil war. Iran backs the regime and Qatar backs the rebels.