UAE downgrades relations with Iran; Kuwait recalls ambassador from Tehran

LATEST:  The State of Kuwait today (Tuesday) recalled its ambassador from Iran as a reaction to the attacks on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, and its Consulate-General in Mashhad, during which they were ransacked and set alight.

According to the Kuwait News Agency (Kuna), an official source from the Foreign Ministry said that Kuwait's ambassador to Tehran has been withdrawn, stressing that the attack on the Saudi Embassy grossly violates norms and international conventions, and is a grave breach of Iran's international obligations to ensure the safety and security of diplomatic missions on its soil.

UPDATE: The UAE has decided to downgrade the level of its diplomatic representation in the Islamic Republic of Iran to that of a charge d' affaires and to require a reduction in the number of Iranian diplomats stationed in the UAE.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement said that Saif Al Zaabi, the UAE Ambassador in Tehran, has been summoned home, in accordance with this decision.

''This exceptional step has been taken in the light of Iran's continuous interference in the internal affairs of Gulf and Arab states, which has reached unprecedented levels,'' the statement said.

The ministry statement emphasised that positive and natural relations between states should be based on mutual respect for the sovereignty of states and the adoption of a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of others.

Bahrain breaks off diplomatic ties with Iran

Bahrain has severed its diplomatic relations with Iran and shut down its diplomatic mission in Tehran. Iranians diplomats in Bahrain have been given 48 hours to leave the kingdom.

"In regard to the continued worsening of the blatant and dangerous interference of the Islamic Republic of Iran, not only in the affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, but also in the affairs of the GCC as well as the Arab countries, without the slightest regard for values, law or morality, or regard to the principles of good neighbourliness - or commitment to the principles of the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which confirms a determination to spread devastation and destruction, and provoke unrest and strife in the region by providing protection and support for terrorists and extremists and the smuggling of weapons and explosives for use by its affiliated terrorist cells in the resulting in the loss of lives and the killing of innocent people;

And after the criminal cowardly attacks on the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Tehran and its consulate in the city of Mashhad, which constitute a flagrant violation of both international conventions and treaties, and embody the very dangerous sectarian policies that cannot be ignored or accepted, and in fact require an immediate response with full force and a confrontation with great resolve in order to prevent a wide chaos and to preserve the security and stability of the entire region and not expose its people to any risk;

The Kingdom of Bahrain has decided to cut diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and has called upon all members of its mission to leave the Kingdom within 48 hours.

"The Kingdom has also decided to close its diplomatic mission to the Islamic Republic of Iran and the withdraw all members of the mission," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, acrried by Bahrain News Agency, BNA.

The Kingdom will take the relevant actions for the implementation of the decision to cut ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, the statement said.

"Based on the Cabinet's decision, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Mortadha Sanubari, Acting Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and handed over an official memorandum in this regard," the ministry said.

Sudan expels Iranian ambassador, pulls its ambassador from Iran

Sudan has decided to expel the Iranian ambassador from Khartoum and the entire mission, and summoned the Sudanese ambassador from Iran.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Crown Prince, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense of Saudi Arabia received today a telephone call from Minister of State at Sudanese Republic Presidency and Director General of President's Offices at the Republic Presidency and Cabinet, Lieutenant General Taha Othman Al-Hussein.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, SPA, during the conversation, Lieutenant General Al-Hussein said that the Republic of Sudan decided to expel the Iranian ambassador from Sudan and the entire mission, and summon the Sudanese ambassador from Iran, stressing Sudan's condemnation of the Iranian interference in the region through a sectarian approach, and the negligence of the Iranian authorities to prevent attacks on the Saudi embassy and consulate in Iran.

He expressed the Republic of Sudan's standing and solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in confronting terrorism and the implementation of deterrent measures against it.

Earlier Story:

Saudi Arabia has cut its diplomatic relations with Iran

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has cut its diplomatic relations with Iran.
 
The announcement was made by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir at a news conference aired by Al Arabiya news channel.
 
Iran's diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia has been given 48 hours to leave the country, the Saudi foreign minister said told the news conference.
 
UAE Foreign Ministry summons Iranian Ambassador
 
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday summoned Iran's Ambassador to the UAE, Mohammad Reza Fayyad, and handed him a written protest note regarding the Iranian intervention in the sovereign affairs of the fraternal country of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad.
 
"These acts represent a violation of international charters and norms," according to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 
Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al Jarman, Assistant Foreign Minister for Political Affairs handed over the note to the Iranian ambassador who was summoned today.

The note confirmed the UAE's condemnation of the flagrant interference by Iran and Iranian remarks pertaining to the sentences handed down by the judicial authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against terrorist groups.
 
The note also emphasised that this Iranian intervention in Saudi Arabia's internal affairs undermines the efforts aimed to build confidence between Iran and the countries of the region and is considered an interference in the internal affairs of these countries as well as violates the regional sovereignty principle.
 
The note also condemned the provocative and escalatory statements that accompanied this intervention and contributed to fuelling the situation.

The note also expressed UAE's condemnation of the Iranian attacks on the diplomatic missions of Saudi Arabia, stressing that Iran has to respect its international obligations regarding diplomatic missions and the protection of diplomats on its land.
 
In this regard, Al Jarman said Iran is responsible for the protection of embassies and diplomats, a responsibility that must be borne completely under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which is based on respect for sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, namely the principles that guarantee security and regional stability between Iran and neighbouring Arab countries.
 
He also emphasised that the UAE stands with Saudi Arabia, supports its stance and respects its sovereignty and institutions, a trend that organises relations between the countries in the region.

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