Iran said on Monday its ambassador to Lebanon would remain in his post in Beirut, defying the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, which has declared him persona non grata and told him to leave.
With war raging in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel, the Iranian envoy's status has emerged as a focal point of tension between the Iran-backed Shia group and the Lebanese government, which has been heavily critical of Hezbollah for entering the regional war in support of Tehran.
The Lebanese Foreign Ministry last week said it had decided to withdraw accreditation for the ambassador-designate, Mohammad Reza Shibani, and asked him to leave by March 29.
The ministry said at the time that Shibani had violated diplomatic convention by making statements about Lebanon’s internal politics.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a powerful Shia Muslim politician and Hezbollah ally, opposed the Foreign Ministry's decision and has asked Shibani to remain, sources familiar with Berri's position said.
‘Iranian ambassador to stay in post’
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, speaking at a news conference, said Shibani would stay in Beirut.
"Considering the discussions raised by the relevant Lebanese parties and the conclusions reached, the Iranian ambassador will continue his work as ambassador in Beirut and is still present there," Baghaei said.
The Lebanese Foreign Ministry has issued no statement on the matter since the deadline passed, and didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2, when Israel and the US started a war against Iran, killing its Supreme Leader Ali Hamanei, triggering the Tehran-aligned Shia group Hezbollah to fire missiles on Israeli positions.
Since then, Israel has intensified its attacks on Lebanon and expanded its invasion in the country's south, killing more than 1,200 people in Lebanon and displacing over 1 million.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, whose administration had been seeking to peacefully disarm Hezbollah, said its decision to attack Israel had shown disregard for the majority of Lebanese and banned its military wing.
