Qatar on Wednesday declared Iran’s military and security attachés persona non grata, ordering them to leave the country within 24 hours.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry said the decision was a result of repeated Iranian attacks on the country, including the Wednesday attack targeting Qatar’s Rass Laffan industrial city.
The ministry said it delivered an official note to Iran’s embassy stating that, in addition to the two attachés, their staff are no longer welcome in the country.
“The ministry explained that this decision comes in response to repeated Iranian targeting and blatant aggression against the State of Qatar, which violated its sovereignty and security,” the Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported. It added that the actions constituted a “flagrant breach of international law, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, and the principles of good neighborliness.”
Doha also warned that continued Iranian attacks would be met with further measures “in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security, and national interests.”
“The ministry affirmed that the State of Qatar reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security, in accordance with international law,” the statement read.
