Iran Protests Albania’s Expulsion of Diplomats, but Can’t Reciprocate

In response to a question by IRNA correspondent, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said “as they do not have an embassy in Iran, we did not have the possibility of summoning or expelling the Albanian ambassador or envoy.”

Qassemi’s remarks came after IRNA’s correspondent asked him why the foreign ministry has not adopted a reciprocal measure to expel Albanian diplomats after the Iranian diplomats were expelled from the European country.

The Iranian diplomat noted that Tehran has voiced its objection through other channels.

“Since the 1990s, after the domestic developments in Albania, the Islamic Republic of Iran launched its embassy in the country, but for economic reasons Albania was not able to run an embassy inside Iran,” highlighted Qassemi.

The spokesperson added that countries consider different issues, including financial and economic ones, in setting up their embassies or other consular or economic offices.

Albania’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that it had expelled two Iranian diplomats suspected of “involvement in activities that harm the country’s security.”

Iran condemned the move, saying the Balkan country fell prey to a scenario fabricated by the US and Israel.