Saudi Arabia closed its embassy in Egypt's capital and withdrew its ambassador amid protests by hundreds of Egyptians, sparking a diplomatic crisis.

Army soldiers and riot police block off a road leading to the Saudi Arabian Embassy during protests in Cairo on Saturday. Photo: Reuters.

The Saudi Embassy in Cairo has been the sight of protests for nearly a week. The ambassador's withdrawal marks the worst escalation in diplomatic tensions between the two countries since Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.