Kuwait on Wednesday summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires, expelled two Iranian diplomats and reduced the size of Iran’s diplomatic mission, reiterating that its territory and airspace were not used to attack “any country.”
In a statement posted on X, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Sulaiman Al-Mashaan handed an official protest note to Hamid Yaqoubi Far, chargé d’affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Kuwait. Two members of the Iranian mission were declared persona non grata and ordered to leave within 24 hours.
Al-Mashaan described the strikes — involving ballistic missiles and drones — as “continued and blatant” attacks violating Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as international law and U.N. resolutions. Kuwait “categorically rejects” the use of its territory or airspace for hostile acts against any state, he said.
The deputy minister also denied Iranian claims that the United States launched strikes from Kuwait, describing those allegations as “baseless.” Such claims, he said, could not justify attacks on Kuwaiti territory or civilian facilities.
The diplomatic move came hours after fresh Iranian missile and drone attacks struck civilian and strategic facilities, including Kuwait International Airport. The Foreign Ministry said the attacks killed one person, injured dozens of civilians and damaged key infrastructure and diplomatic premises. Three Sri Lankan nationals were among the 63 injured at the airport.
Kuwait’s hardened diplomatic posture follows US strikes on Iranian targets at Geruk, Qeshm and a Kuwait base earlier this week — a campaign Iran has cited in escalating its retaliation against Gulf states it claims are hosting US operations.
