Netherlands Recalls Ambassador to Iran After Dutch Staff Expelled by Tehran

Netherland's Foreign Minister Stef Blok has accused Iran of being complicit in the assassination of two Dutchmen of Iranian origin in the cities of Almere in 2015 and in the Hague in 2017.

The Netherlands has recalled its envoy to Iran after staff members of its embassy in Tehran were expelled, Foreign Minister Stef Blok announced.

"Have decided to recall the ambassador in Tehran for consultations", Blok said in a tweet. "The decision follows the expulsion of two Dutch embassy staff. That is unacceptable".

Heb besloten de Nederlandse ambassadeur in Teheran terug te roepen voor consultaties. Besluit volgt op de uitzetting van twee Nederlandse ambassademedewerkers door Iran. Dat is onacceptabel. Lees hier de Kamerbrief: https://t.co/90ZF35c9un

— Stef Blok (@ministerBlok) 4 марта 2019 г.

According to the minister, two Dutch diplomats to Iran were expelled from the country on 3 March. The reason for the expulsion of the Netherlands Embassy employees has not been reported.

READ MORE: Iran Summons Dutch Envoy to Tehran, Protesting Against Deportation of Diplomats

Explaining the move, the minister stated in an official letter that it was connected with what he claimed was a liquidation by Tehran of two people of Iranian origin in the Netherlands.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry on the morning of 20 February informed the Ambassador of the Netherlands in Iran about declaring two embassy employees in Tehran "persona non grata", according to the Dutch FM.

The IRNA news agency reported in September of last year that Iran had summoned ambassadors from the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Denmark, accusing them of harbouring Iranian opposition groups, after a terrorist attack on a military parade in the Iranian city of Ahvaz.