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Lebanon ordered Iran’s new ambassador to leave the country by March 29 after declaring him persona non grata.
By United with Israel Staff
Lebanon has ordered the Iranian ambassador to leave the country, declaring him persona non grata in a rare diplomatic move that comes amid growing pressure on Beirut as the war between Israel and Iran and its regional proxies continues to escalate.
According to a statement from the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, Iran’s newly appointed ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Shibani, who had recently arrived in the country and was awaiting formal accreditation, has been declared an undesirable figure and must leave Lebanon by March 29.
Lebanese media reported that the Foreign Ministry summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires in Beirut to inform him of the decision, while Lebanon also summoned its own ambassador in Iran for consultations, citing what it described as Iranian violations of diplomatic norms and accepted conduct between the two countries.
The unusual diplomatic move comes as Lebanon finds itself increasingly caught in the conflict between Israel and Iran. Since Hezbollah joined the war in support of Iran, the group has launched rockets and drones toward northern Israel, prompting heavy Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah infrastructure, weapons depots, command centers, and transportation routes.
The fighting has had a growing impact on Lebanese civilians, particularly in southern Lebanon, where airstrikes, evacuations, damaged infrastructure, and economic disruption have increased pressure on the Lebanese government. Many in Lebanon have blamed Hezbollah’s decision to join the war for dragging the country deeper into a conflict with Israel.
Against this backdrop, Lebanon’s decision to expel Iran’s ambassador is being seen by regional observers as a significant political signal, reflecting rising tension between Beirut and Tehran and growing pressure inside Lebanon over Iran’s influence in the country through Hezbollah.
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