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Closure of Iran’s Embassy in Beirut Comes After Similar Move From Saudi Arabia

Iran is finding itself increasingly isolated. This past weekend, the Saudis did the same: Saudi Arabia expelled five Iranian diplomats on March 21, 2026, declaring the Islamic Republic’s military attaché and four embassy staff persona non grata and ordering them to leave the Kingdom within twenty-four hours. The move severed the last functioning diplomatic channel between the two nations after twenty-two days of war, 575 intercepted Iranian drones, and the steady collapse of every back-channel, intermediary, and ceasefire mechanism that once connected Riyadh to Tehran (House of Saud). More from the New York Times: The Saudi views of the war are shaped by economic factors as much as political ones. Since the war began, Iran’s retaliatory attacks have largely choked off the Strait of Hormuz, hobbling the region’s energy industry. The vast majority of Saudi, Emirati and Kuwaiti oil must pass through the strait to reach international markets…. While Saudi Arabia is better positioned than the other Gulf countries to weather the closure of the strait, it could face dire ramifications if the waterway is not reopened soon (New York Times).