Saudi Arabia orders Iran’s embassy staff to leave

Saudi Arabia notified Iran’s military attache, his deputy and three members of the embassy staff that they must leave the kingdom within 24 hours after being declared persona non grata.

The Saudi foreign ministry issued a statement on Saturday, citing what it described as Iran’s ongoing attacks on Saudi territory.

Saudi Arabia has been attacked by hundreds of Iranian missiles and UAVs since the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran, and the vast majority of them have been captured, officials said.

In its statement, the Ministry said that the continuation of Iranian attacks will lead to further escalation of tension and will have “significant consequences” for current and future relations.

On Wednesday, the Saudi foreign minister said the kingdom reserved the right to take military action against Iran and that trust in Tehran had been shattered following the latest attacks.

Saudi Arabia and Iran reestablished diplomatic ties in 2023 as part of an effort to defuse tensions after years of hostility against political and military groups in the region.

The US-Israeli war on Iran and subsequent attacks on Tehran’s Gulf neighbors have disrupted oil and natural gas exports from the Middle East and forced production halts.