Iran Declared four Azerbaijani Diplomats as Personae Non Gratae

 

Image Credit: Google

The state media in Iran announced that the Government of Iran has expelled four Azerbaijani diplomats in response to the expulsion of Iranian embassy staff in April by the authorities in Azerbaijan.

According to the statement, four diplomats of were declared as “Personae Non Gratae” the term which is used in diplomacy for the repulsion of diplomats by the host country.

The same statement was issued by Azerbaijan last month declaring four diplomats as non-granted who were working in Iranian embassy based in Azerbaijan. They were given 4 hours to leave the territory.

Azerbaijani authorities accused the expelled staff that they involved in activities incompatible with diplomatic status and norms.

These developments are followed by the tensions which raised in January this year where a gunmen entered in Baku’s Embassy in Tehran and left killing a diplomat and wounding a security guard.

The tensions also witnessed Iranian military exercises along its border with Azerbaijan in recent months. On the other hand, Authorities in Azerbaijan arrested six Iran-funded agents accused of coup-plot.

Political background of the tensions could be traced back to the Baku’s decision to open embassy in Israel that angered Tehran.

Since then, Iran is accusing that Baku is harboring Israeli intelligence and military elements that could be used against Iran.

(Courtesy: Dawn/The News International/Iran International)