Iran on Tuesday expelled German and Dutch diplomats and shuttered Denmark’s embassy in Tehran, triggering a cascading series of retaliatory expulsions across Europe that has sent diplomatic relations between Tehran and the West into freefall. The moves, confirmed by three independent officials briefed on the matter, were prompted by Europe’s support for a United Nations resolution censuring Iran over its acceleration of uranium enrichment to 84 percent purity — just a step below weapons grade.
Three European Union member states and Canada expelled Iranian diplomats within a 72-hour window surrounding the UN vote, according to diplomatic sources in Brussels and Ottawa. Iraq recalled its ambassador from Tehran, citing what a foreign ministry statement called “flagrant violations of regional stability.”
The Iranian parliament speaker, Qatib Noah, said the expulsions marked “the end of Europe’s diplomatic illusions about a return to the 2015 nuclear deal.” The statement, carried by state-run IRNA, was issued as Iran’s chief nuclear negotiators — Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf and Deputy Foreign Minister Araghchi — entered their fourth day of talks in Doha with US officials, now reportedly stalled on the enrichment verification issue.
Separately, Israeli airstrikes targeted a weapons depot near the Syrian capital Damascus overnight. Israel’s military said the strike was a “preemptive defensive action” following intelligence that weapons were being transferred to Hezbollah proxies. Syrian state media reported no casualties but confirmed material damage at the facility. The strike came less than 48 hours after Israel carried out a similar operation near the Lebanese border town of Baalbek.
Oil markets held above $94 per barrel on Tuesday as traders weighed the dual risk of stalled nuclear talks and the prospect of widening regional conflict. The Strait of Hormuz remains the primary flashpoint: an improvised Iranian mine-line and anti-ship missile deployment, now entering its seventh day, has effectively closed the waterway to commercial traffic. US and British naval vessels are positioned but have not moved to clear the obstacles.
Germany’s foreign ministry issued an urgent advisory on Tuesday urging all German citizens to leave Iran “immediately” via available commercial routes. The advisory cited “a significantly deteriorated security environment for foreign nationals.” Denmark closed its Tehran embassy and evacuated all staff. The Netherlands confirmed it had expelled two Iranian intelligence officials operating under diplomatic cover.
Qatar and Oman remain the only active diplomatic channels between Washington and Tehran. Both Gulf states have offered to host emergency follow-on talks, though neither side has formally accepted. A senior Qatari official told this reporter that “the window for a negotiated outcome is narrowing by the hour.”
The UN Security Council held a closed emergency session on Tuesday but failed to agree on a joint statement. Russia and China objected to what they called “one-sided language” in a draft European resolution calling for Iran’s immediate suspension of enrichment above 60 percent. The next council session is scheduled for Thursday.