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Saudi Arabia Executes Six Iranian Men for Drug Smuggling, Sparking Iranian Protest

Saudi Arabia announced Wednesday that it had executed six Iranian men convicted of drug smuggling, drawing sharp criticism from Iran as the two nations work to mend their strained relationship.

The Saudi Interior Ministry stated that the men were apprehended smuggling hashish into the kingdom and were executed following the Supreme Court’s rejection of their appeal. While the ministry did not specify the date of the executions, it emphasized that the punishment aligned with Islamic law and aimed to protect citizens and residents “from the scourge of drugs.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Saudi ambassador in protest, according to the official IRNA news agency. Mojtaba Shasti Karimi, an Iranian Foreign Ministry official, criticized the lack of prior notification to Iran, calling the executions “unacceptable under any circumstance.” He also argued that the actions contradicted the recent trend of judicial cooperation between the two nations.

Iran plans to send a delegation to Riyadh to address the issue further.

The executions come as Saudi Arabia and Iran are attempting to rebuild ties after restoring diplomatic relations in early 2023, ending a seven-year rift. The incident poses a challenge to the ongoing rapprochement, raising questions about the fragility of their renewed relationship.

Both countries have yet to issue further statements on how this development might impact their efforts to strengthen cooperation.

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