Iran has summoned Saudi Arabia's charge d'affaires over the execution of three Iranians, whom the kingdom had convicted of drug smuggling, Press TV reported.
Iran's Foreign Ministry called upon the Saudi charge d'affaires, Ahmed al-Muwallid, in the absence of Saudi Arabia's ambassador to convey its dismay over the executions on Sunday.
Hassan Qashqavi, an Iranian deputy foreign minister, said earlier that "Unfortunately, by implementing the death sentence against three of our country's nationals, the government of Saudi Arabia did not do bilateral ties justice."
"Countries refrain from executing such sentences by respecting bilateral relations and keeping in mind that implementing such sentences will not bear a positive effect on the ties," he noted.
"There are many foreign nationals sentenced to death in Iran. However, the implementation of the sentences has been prevented... due to some expediencies," the official said.
He also said the Iranians had been denied legal representation and that Tehran would take proportionate diplomatic action following the executions.
The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the death sentences of the Iranians, who had been arrested while allegedly smuggling large amounts of hashish to the kingdom, were carried out in the city of Dammam, the capital of the country's Eastern Province, earlier in the day.
The sentences, issued following trials at courts, had been endorsed by the kingdom's Supreme Court as well as King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.