Iran Summons Kuwait's Charge D'Affaires

The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Kuwaiti charge d'affaires in Tehran on Thursday to protest the accusations made by the Arab country against Iran.

Kuwait on Thursday said it was closing the Iranian cultural mission and related offices there and expelled a number of Iranian diplomats stationed in the country, Kuwait's official news agency KUNA reported.

KUNA said the move is related to the case of a "terrorist" cell broken up in 2015 that authorities allege had contacts with Iran.

The report said Alireza Enayati, Iranian ambassador to Kuwait, had been notified of the decision.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi dismissed the allegations as "baseless" and said "it is regrettable that Kuwaiti officials, in this sensitive situation in the region, instead of making an effort to reduce useless tensions ... have targeted the Islamic Republic".

"It was reiterated that Iran reserves the right to reciprocal measure," he said.

Tensions between the two countries come after Kuwait convicted 23 men —one Iranian and the rest Kuwaiti—of spying for Iran and Hezbollah last year, after a cache of guns and explosives was found in a so-called "Abdali cell" in 2015.

Those convicted were found to have "furtive contacts" with Iran and Hezbollah, and were accused of planning "hostile actions" inside Kuwait, AP reported.

The men were initially convicted by a lower court, but were later acquitted on appeals several months later and set free.

However, last month, the Supreme Court overturned the acquittals and sentenced 21 of them to jail, including the cell's ring-leader. Two were acquitted, while three were tried in absentia.