Saudi Arabia ordered Iran's military attaché at its Riyadh embassy, along with his assistant and three other staff members, to leave the kingdom within 24 hours. The Foreign Ministry declared the five individuals persona non grata on Saturday, citing repeated Iranian attacks on Saudi territory.

The ministry's statement, released via the official Saudi Press Agency, condemned what it described as 'blatant' Iranian aggression against the kingdom's sovereignty, civilian infrastructure, diplomatic missions, and economic interests. These actions violated international law, the 2023 Beijing Agreement that restored diplomatic ties between the two nations, United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, adopted this year, and principles of good neighborliness.

Saudi Arabia reiterated a warning issued on March 9 about the consequences of further escalation and affirmed its right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. The kingdom pledged to take all necessary measures to protect its territory, airspace, citizens, residents, and resources.

The expulsions come amid a surge in Iranian missile and drone strikes on Saudi facilities. On March 19, Saudi air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile targeting Yanbu port on the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia's main oil export hub, while an Iranian drone struck the nearby SAMREF refinery operated by Saudi Aramco. Two civilians died, and 12 were injured in related incidents, according to Saudi reports.

Earlier that week, Saudi defenses downed dozens of drones aimed at multiple regions, including the capital Riyadh. Iranian attacks have numbered in the hundreds since the onset of the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Tehran, most intercepted but causing disruptions to oil and gas exports across the Gulf.

On Wednesday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stated that trust with Iran had been shattered and reserved the right for military action. Riyadh has so far relied on defensive interceptions but warned of significant repercussions for bilateral relations.

Saudi Arabia and Iran normalized relations in March 2023 through Chinese mediation after years of proxy conflicts in Yemen, Syria, and elsewhere. That détente had eased tensions, but Iran's recent barrages linked to retaliations against US and Israeli strikes have strained the accord.

No immediate response came from Tehran as of early Sunday. The 24-hour deadline for the diplomats' departure likely expired late Saturday, though details on compliance remain unclear.