TEHRAN: Iran has expelled four Azerbaijani diplomats, state media reported on Friday, saying the move was “in response” to Baku’s expulsion of Iranian embassy staff in April after months of tensions.

“Four diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, declared personae non gratae, were expelled from Iran last month,” the official news agency IRNA said.

It said the Iranian foreign ministry’s “action… was carried out in response to Baku’s expulsion of Iranian diplomats.”

Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry early last month said it had notified the Iranian ambassador that “four employees of the Iranian embassy were declared personae non gratae” with 48 hours to leave the country.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2023