BAKU: Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry on Thursday announced the expulsion of four employees of Iran’s embassy after months of diplomatic tensions between Baku and Tehran.

The news came hours after Baku said it arrested six men, who it said were linked to Iranian secret services and were plotting a coup in the Caspian nation.

Relations between the neighbours have long been strained, with Azerbaijan being a close ally of Iran’s historical rival Turkey.

The foreign ministry in Baku said Thursday it “summoned” Iran’s ambassador and told him that “four employees of the Iranian embassy were declared persona non grata” with 48 hours to leave the country.

It said they were carrying out activities “incompatible with diplomatic status” but did not provide further details. “During the meeting, strong dissatisfaction was expressed to the Iranian Ambassador due to the recent provocative actions demonstrated by his country,” the ministry added.