Beirut declares Iran's ambassador persona non grata

2026-03-24 - 11:55

Lebanon's Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday that it had summoned Tawfiq Samadi Khushkhoo, the Iranian charge d'affaires, and informed him of the decision to revoke the accreditation of Iran's ambassador-designate, Mohammad Sheibani. According to the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, a decision has been made to declare the Iranian ambassador persona non grata and to demand that he leave Lebanese territory by Sunday, March 29. In a further step, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry recalled its ambassador to Iran, Ahmad Sawidan, for consultations – citing what Beirut described as "a violation by Tehran of the norms and principles of diplomatic relations between states." "Measures come against the backdrop of Iranian involvement in Lebanon." A Hezbollah flag against the backdrop of a destroyed building (Photo: Getty Images) The move is the latest in a series of Lebanese government actions against the Iranian regime. Beirut has reimposed a visa requirement on Iranian travelers entering the country, and the Lebanese government decided this month that any individual identified as having ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would be expelled from Lebanese territory. These sweeping measures come against the backdrop of Iranian involvement in Lebanon and the country's being dragged into war through the rocket attacks of the Hezbollah terrorist organization. That involvement also included the deployment of IRGC officers on Lebanese soil, which pushed the Beirut authorities to take these extraordinary steps.