Kuwait expelled Iran’s ambassador and 14 other Iranian diplomats July 20 and ordered the shutdown of Tehran’s cultural and military missions in the oil-rich Persian Gulf country. Iranian officials called the decision “reprehensible” and filed a complaint with the Kuwaiti charge d'affaires; Tehran has maintained its ambassador in Kuwait City.
Given Kuwait’s track record as a “neutral” state that avoids confrontations and cooperates with all neighboring countries, most recently illustrated by the Kuwaiti emir’s providing a diplomatic back channel between parties involved in the Qatar crisis, the expulsions took many by surprise. The bold move, which certainly marked a reversal in Kuwait's efforts earlier this year to defuse tension between Tehran and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, was likely aimed at demonstrating Kuwait’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia at a time when Riyadh has been stepping up pressure on Qatar and other Arab states to distance themselves from Tehran.