Riyadh, March 21 (QNA) – Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that it notified the Iranian embassy’s military attache, his assistant, and three embassy staff members that they are ‘persona non grata’ and that they must leave the Kingdom within 24-hours.
In its statement, the Ministry reaffirmed its strong condemnation of the blatant Iranian attacks that targeted its territory and those of a number of Gulf Cooperation Council, Arab, and Islamic countries.
It stressed that these attacks constitutes a clear violation of international conventions, the principles of good neighborliness, and respect for state sovereignty, in addition to contradicting Islamic values and principles.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said that Iran’s continued targeting of Saudi Arabia, its sovereignty, civilian objects and civilians, economic interests, and diplomatic premises, constitutes a clear violation of all relevant international conventions, the principles of good neighborliness, respect for state sovereignty, the Beijing Agreement, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, adding that this targeting is inconsistent with the Islamic values and principles that the Iranian side constantly invoke but have failed to act upon.
The Ministry referred to its statement issued on March 9, which read that Iran’s continued attacks will lead to further escalation and have serious consequences for relations at present and in the future.
It reaffirmed that Saudi Arabia will not hesitate to take all necessary measures to preserve its sovereignty, safeguard its security, and protect its territory, airspace, citizens, residents, resources, and interests, pursuant to Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations. (QNA)