Iran refuses to recall ambassador from Lebanon after expulsion order

Iran has said its ambassador will remain in Lebanon despite a formal expulsion order issued by Beirut, escalating a diplomatic standoff between the two countries.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the ambassador will continue his duties in Beirut and that the Iranian embassy remains fully operational, even after Lebanese authorities declared the envoy persona non grata and ordered him to leave.

“Our ambassador will continue his work as Iran’s ambassador in Beirut and remains present there,” Baghaei said at a weekly press briefing.

Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry had ordered the expulsion of Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani last week, giving him until March 29, 2026, to leave the country after formally revoking its acceptance of his appointment.

The deadline passed without the ambassador’s departure, prompting criticism from Israeli officials, including Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who accused Lebanon of failing to enforce its decision and described the situation as evidence of Iranian influence in the country.

“Last week, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry ceremoniously declared the Iranian ambassador persona non grata and set a deadline for his expulsion. That deadline has expired, and this morning the Iranian ambassador is sitting in Beirut as if nothing happened,” Sa’ar said in a statement posted on X.

“Lebanon is a state that in practice does not fully control its own sovereignty,” Sa’ar added. “Without a decision in Beirut to confront Iranian influence and its proxy Hezbollah, Lebanon will not regain its sovereignty,” he said.

Iran has not indicated any intention to comply with the Lebanese order, maintaining that its diplomatic mission in Beirut continues to function normally.