Saudi Arabia reassigns ambassador to Iraq after controversy

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) Oct. 16 -- Saudi Arabia says it has reassigned its ambassador to Iraq, months after he claimed that Iranian-backed Shiite militias were plotting to assassinate him.
A royal decree issued early Sunday from King Salman announced Thamer al-Sabhan would be a minister of state for the Gulf region.
The decree and a brief story on the state-run Saudi Press Agency did not elaborate on the reason for his reassignment.
However, it comes after Iraq asked Saudi Arabia in August to replace al-Sabhan as it said the ambassador's allegations were without evidence and harmed relations between the two countries.
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The expansion of the Iranian-backed Shiite militias and the establishment of a strong foothold in Iraq has raised worries in the Sunni-ruled kingdom about the extent of Iranian regime influence in the region.
Mr. Thamer al-Sabhan said in an interview before he left the Iraqi capital that the Iraqi Security Forces had told him that the Iranian regime Shiite Militias had planned to assassinate him while in Baghdad and that the Iraqi Foreign Ministry under the pressures of the Iranian regime had asked him to leave Iraq. 
Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic relations with Iran in January.