Netherlands Recalls Iranian Ambassador In Tit-For-Tat; Follows EU Charges Of Iran “Terror Plots”
In a diplomatic tit-for-tat the Netherlands on Monday recalled its ambassador to Iran after members of its diplomatic staff at its embassy in Tehran were expelled, Foreign Minister Stef Blok announced on Monday.
“[We] 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.”
Though the immediate reasons for this latest spat between the two countries remains unclear, tensions have heightened after the European Union first began accusing Iran of “assassination attempts” and state-sponsored “terrorist plots” in Europe.
Last month Iran slammed EU charges as “groundless” — charges which Dutch officials had helped push into the open in tandem with other European leaders.
Earlier, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) publicly leveled accusations against Iran’s intelligence service of planning an assassination operation against an Iranian separatist and opposition group member in Denmark. The Dutch Foreign Minister led efforts to bring Iran to account for plotting violent acts on European soil.
Stef Blok alongside Interior Minister Kajsa Ollongren said in January when the issue came to a head that they had “strong indications” that Tehran was behind assassinations of two Dutch nationals of Iranian origin in 2015 and 2017.
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://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/kamerstukken/2019/03/04/kamerbrief-terugroepen-nederlandse-ambassadeur-iran …537:05 AM – Mar 4, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacyKamerbrief terugroepen Nederlandse ambassadeur uit IranMinister Blok (Buitenlandse Zaken) informeert de Tweede Kamer over het terugroepen van de Nederlandse ambassadeur in Teheran.rijksoverheid.nl
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