Saudi Arabia Expels Iranian Embassy Staff Amid Rising Tensions

RIYADH – Saudi Arabia expelled the Iranian embassy’s military attaché and four other staff members on Saturday, ordering them to depart the country within 24 hours, according to a statement released by the Saudi Foreign Ministry.

The decision follows what Saudi authorities describe as “repeated Iranian attacks” on the Kingdom and other Gulf states, a charge Iran denies. The ministry stated Saudi Arabia will “not hesitate to grab all necessary measures” to protect its sovereignty, security, and interests, citing the UN Charter as justification.

The expulsions arrive amid escalating regional tensions sparked by the U.S.-Israeli actions against Iran, which began on February 28th. Iran and its allies have responded with attacks targeting Israeli, and U.S. Interests throughout the Middle East, according to reports.

According to a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs renewed the Kingdom’s condemnation of the attacks, asserting that Iran’s targeting of Saudi Arabia, its civilian objects, and diplomatic premises constitutes a violation of international conventions, including the principles of good neighborliness, respect for sovereignty, the Beijing Agreement, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026). The ministry also suggested that Iran’s actions contradict its stated adherence to Islamic brotherhood.

Recent attacks attributed to Iran include drone strikes on energy facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia and an incident earlier this month where two drones targeted the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, both of which were reportedly intercepted by Saudi air defenses. Oil loadings at the Red Sea port of Yanbu were also disrupted last week after a drone fell near the Aramco-Exxon refinery, SAMREF.

The Iranian embassy in Riyadh is located in the Al Safarat, Embassy Area, according to Embassies.info. As of Sunday, March 22, 2026, the embassy had not issued a public response to the expulsion order.