Saudi Arabia Orders Iranian Military Attache, Embassy Staff To Leave Country Within 24 Hours

New Delhi: Amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East region, Saudi Arabia on Sunday ​ordered ​Iran's military ​attache, his assistant and ⁠three embassy staff members of the country to ​leave the kingdom withing 24 hours, after being ⁠declared persona non grata.

While directing them to leave the country within 24 hours, Saudi Arabia also condemned the "blatant" Iranian attacks against the country and other Gulf nations.

What did Saudi Arabia say to Iran officials?

In a statement, the Saudi Arabia ministry warned that persistent Iranian aggression would further escalate tensions and could have "significant consequences".

Saudi Arabia's ministry of foreign affairs in a statement on Sunday, said that the continued attacks from Iran "constitutes a flagrant violation of all relevant international conventions, the principles of good neighborliness and respect for states’ sovereignty, the Beijing Agreement, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026)."

The ministry also said that such "blatant" Iranian attacks also contradict the principles of "Islamic brotherhood and the values and tenets of the Islamic faith". 

Saudi Arabia ordered ​Iran's military ​attache, his assistant and ⁠three members of the country's ⁠embassy staff to ​leave the kingdom, after being ⁠declared persona non grata.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has notified the military attaché of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Kingdom, the assistant military attaché, and three members of the mission staff to leave the Kingdom, and has declared them personae non gratae. They are required to depart the Kingdom within 24 hours," the statement further read.

What did Saudi Arabia say about taking action?

Saudi Arabia also said that it won't "hesitate to take all necessary measures to protect its Kingdom."

"The Kingdom also affirms that it 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," the official statement said.

Since the onset of the US-Israeli war on Iran, Saudi Arabia has been targeted by hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones, though most of these attacks were successfully intercepted.

Did the attacks still continue?

Hours after the order, Saudi Arabia reported new attacks from Iran. The Kingdom reported that three ballistic missiles were launched towards the capital, Riyadh, and several drones were intercepted in the eastern region. 

Of the three ballistic missiles, one missile was intercepted, while the other two fell in uninhabited areas, causing no casualties.