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The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Al Mashaan summoned Ambassador Mohammad Toutounji on Wednesday and handed him a formal note of protest. The ministry described the Iranian embassy statement as blatant interference in Kuwait’s internal affairs that infringed on its sovereignty and the independence of its judiciary. It called on Tehran to respect international law, the UN Charter and the principle of non-interference in the affairs of other states.
A Kuwaiti Criminal Court issued the sentences on Monday, condemning three defendants to death and eight others to five years in prison with hard labor. The convictions covered charges of spying for Iran, collaborating with Lebanon’s Hezbollah and plotting to assassinate First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al Sabah along with other senior figures. Kuwaiti authorities have not disclosed the nationalities of those convicted.
The Iranian embassy rejected allegations that one of its nationals participated in any such plot or posed a threat to Kuwait’s national security. It stated that the individual in question had not been in Kuwait at any point during the past decade and described the accusations as unfounded. The embassy expressed regret over what it termed a persistent negative approach toward Iran involving recycled narratives of interference.[[1]](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/world/mena/iran-embassy-kuwait-denies-involvment-assassination-plot)
Lebanese broadcaster Al Mayadeen identified one of those sentenced to death as Iranian national Abdulreza Haidar Dehqani, who was previously convicted in absentia in a 2016 case on similar spying and plotting charges. The latest verdicts come amid heightened regional tensions that have tested bilateral relations. Kuwait has maintained its position that judicial rulings remain an internal matter free from external commentary.
Bilateral ties have deteriorated since the Israeli-US war against Iran began in late February 2026. Kuwait condemned Iranian strikes on what Tehran described as US targets within its territory, stating that the attacks hit civilian sites and infrastructure. The foreign ministry has repeatedly stressed the need for all parties to observe principles of good neighborliness to prevent further escalation.[[2]](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20261029-kuwait-summons-iranian-ambassador-after-tehran-denies-assassination-plot/)
The ministry reiterated its strong rejection of any attempt to interfere in rulings issued by national courts. It urged Iran to adhere to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations in addition to broader international norms. Officials emphasized that such adherence serves the stability of the wider region.
