Rhino: The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Wednesday that the kingdom executed six Iranians for drug smuggling, and media reports indicated that Tehran summoned the Saudi ambassador.

The agency quoted the Interior Ministry as saying that the six Iranians were arrested and charged with smuggling hashish into the kingdom and were sentenced to death. The statement did not say when the sentence was carried out.

Iranian media said Tehran summoned the Saudi ambassador in response to “strongly protest” the death sentences.

“A note of strong protest was conveyed by Iran, highlighting the incompatibility of this action with the comprehensive judicial cooperation between the two countries, and the need for a proper explanation on this issue was emphasized,” Iranian media reports said.

Under a deal brokered by China in 2023, Tehran and Riyadh restored relations after years of hostility that threatened stability and security in the Gulf region and helped fuel conflicts in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria.