Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, a senior firebrand cleric in Iran who is President Ebrahim Raisi’s father-in-law, says Saudi Arabia is committing “genocide” against Shiites.

The hardliner said on Wednesday that the Saudi ruling family wants to exterminate Shiites out of the ‘land of revelation’, referring to Saudi Arabia where according to Islamic belief God's word was delivered to Prophet Muhammad, Hawzah News reported.

“Al Saud has been cooperating with the enemy in carrying out this sinister plan since the domination of Britain and the US, and has committed genocide against the Shiites”, he said

Alamolhoda maintained that beheading a 17-year-old teenager is not acceptable by any logic in the world.

Islamic republic also practices the death penalty for minors and says it is neither illegal nor against any of Iran’s international commitments.

Alamolhoda, who is Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s representative in Mashhad, added that Riyadh cannot be treated as a "neighbor", in a "peaceful" way.

On Sunday, Iran condemned Saudi Arabia's execution of 81 men – including 41 Shiites -- the previous day, saying, “This inhumane act was in violation of basic principles of human rights and international law, and contrary to human principles and accepted legal procedures".

Tehran also unilaterally suspended the fifth round of talks with Riyadh to mend ties that were cut in 2016 when mobs attacked its embassy in Tehran after Riyadh executed 47 dissidents including the leading Shi'ite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.