Qatar declares two Iranian embassy officials ‘persona non grata’ over attack on gas facility

Qatar, on Thursday (March 19, 2026), declared Iran’s military and security attaches “persona non grata” and ordered them to leave the country within 24 hours, following Iran’s attack on a massive gas facility in Qatar.

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“Qatar considers both the military attache and the security attache at the embassy, in addition to the staff of the two attache offices “persona non grata”, and requests that they leave the country within a maximum period of (24) hours,” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The decision was announced during a meeting on Wednesday (March 18, 2026) between Director of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim Yousif Fakhro, and Iranian Ambassador to Qatar Ali Salehabadi.

“The ministry explained that this decision comes in response 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 neighbourliness,” the statement added.

Qatar said that the continuation of this hostile approach by Iran will be met with “additional measures”, adding that Qatar “reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security, in accordance with the provisions of international law.”