Qatar declares Iranian embassy staff persona non grata

March 19, 2026

HE Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs meets Iranian Ambassador HE Ali Salehabadi to protest attacks on Qatari territory, calling them a threat to security and urging an immediate return to dialogue, February 28, 2026.

Doha – Qatar has declared the military and security attachés at the Iranian Embassy, along with their office staff, persona non grata, ordering them to leave the country within 24 hours.

The decision was communicated through an official note delivered to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The move followed a meeting on Wednesday between HE Ibrahim Yousif Fakhro, Director of Protocol at Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and HE Ali Salehabadi, Iran’s Ambassador to Qatar.

The ministry said the measure responds to “repeated Iranian targeting and the blatant aggression against the State of Qatar, which violated its sovereignty and security, in a flagrant breach of the principles of international law, United Nations Security Council Resolution No. (2817), and the principles of good neighborliness.”

It added that any continuation of hostile actions by Iran will prompt “additional measures by the State of Qatar, in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security, and national interests.”

The ministry confirmed that “the State of Qatar reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security, in accordance with the provisions of international law.”