Beirut (Diplomat.so) - Lebanon's Foreign Ministry reaffirmed on Thursday, August 20, that Iranian ambassador-designate Mohammad Reza Sheibani must leave Lebanon, with his entry visa due to expire on August 24.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said Sheibani’s continued presence would conflict with a sovereign decision declaring him persona non grata, reinforcing Beirut’s refusal to accept his accreditation as Iran’s ambassador. The dispute has become a fresh test of already strained relations between Lebanon and Iran.
Raggi said the diplomatic status of Sheibani left no room for alternative interpretation. Under established diplomatic practice, he said, a diplomat declared persona non grata is required to leave the host country.
"Any visa, entry permit or residency previously granted to the diplomat no longer has any legal effect permitting his continued presence,” Raggi said. He described the Lebanese decision as final and enforceable, rejecting the possibility that Sheibani’s status could be regularized through a visa renewal or another administrative arrangement.
The approaching August 24 deadline comes months after Lebanese authorities rejected Sheibani’s accreditation. Beirut’s position has since developed into a wider diplomatic disagreement with Tehran over Lebanese sovereignty and Iranian statements concerning Hezbollah and security affairs inside Lebanon.
Tensions increased following remarks by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf indicating that he remained in contact with fighters on the Lebanese front. His comments prompted criticism in Lebanon amid a broader political debate over the government’s effort to establish exclusive state control over weapons.
Constitutional lawyer Antoine Saad said Sheibani could face a different legal situation once his visa expires because Lebanon has not recognized him as an accredited member of the diplomatic corps. Saad said continued residence without another legal basis could subject Sheibani to rules applying to an ordinary foreign national.
Beirut’s position reflects a broader sovereignty issue, as Lebanese authorities insist that decisions concerning the acceptance or rejection of foreign diplomats remain exclusively within the state’s jurisdiction.
