TEHRAN: Iran has expelled “several” Kuwaiti diplomats in a tit-for-tat retaliation for the expulsion of its diplomats accused of spying in the emirate, in a fresh blow to already tense relations across the Gulf. “Iran has expelled several Kuwaiti diplomats in retaliation to the expulsion of three of its diplomats ... and one Iranian embassy employee in Kuwait,” the state television said on its website, quoting an informed source in the foreign ministry.The source, who did not reveal how many diplomats had been targeted, said the Kuwaiti embassy had been told that the envoys were to leave Iran within “10 days”, the website reported.

But Iran’s English-language Press TV said on it website, without giving a source, that “three” Kuwaiti diplomats were told to leave after the Iranian diplomats were expelled “on April 2”.

Kuwait announced on March 31 that a number of Iranian diplomats would be expelled for alleged links to an espionage network working for Tehran, reportedly ever since the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.—AFP