“The two diplomats at the Dutch embassy in Tehran were recognized as persona non grata within the framework of a reciprocal action and were asked to leave our country’s soil on March 3 and 4,” said the spokesman Monday.
“Following the baseless accusations levelled against two Iranian diplomats by the Dutch government and their expulsion from that country, relevant officials put reciprocal action on their agenda, and after comprehensive reviews at the Supreme National Security Council, finally it was decided that two of Dutch diplomats be expelled from Tehran,” he noted.
Qassemi expressed regret that the Dutch government did not rethink its decision despite the fact that the prosecutor general, foreign and interior ministers of the Netherlands admitted that the Iranian diplomats had not been involved in the events which took place in the European country.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran expects Dutch authorities to have a proper understanding of the sensitive regional and international situation and not act in line with the desires of the opponents and ill-wishers of relations between the two countries,” he said.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran does not want tensions in its relations with European countries, but will respond in kind to any move against its national interests in due time and in line with protecting the country’s interests,” he said.
