Iran's ambassador-designate to Lebanon has been granted a six-month residency permit by Lebanese authorities, on the day his original visa was set to expire, despite being declared persona non grata by the Lebanese Foreign Minister earlier this year.
A Lebanese security source told The National that the permit, given by the country's General Security, was granted to Mohammad Reza Sheibani on a “normal” basis and not for any diplomatic status.
“The new visa means treating him as an Iranian residing in Lebanon, rather than a diplomat,” another General Security officer said.
Lebanon's Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi, a vocal critic of Iran's Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, had originally declared Mr Sheibani persona non grata in March and withdrawn its approval of him. The latter had refused to leave and stayed put, with Hezbollah among those criticising the decision to withdraw accreditation.
Mr Sheibani had continued to carry out some of the functions of the ambassador despite his status. To commemorate 40 days since the burial of former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei last week, he hosted an event at the Iranian embassy, in the capital's southern suburbs. Among those who attended was the Vice President of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council in Lebanon, Sheikh Ali Al Khatib.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for strikes that killed Mr Khamenei.
The government condemned the move to open a new front in south Lebanon against Israel, saying that Hezbollah – the Lebanese armed group and political party – had dragged the country into a conflict that is not its own and was “imposed from the outside”.
In February 2025, Lebanon halted an Iranian flight to Beirut after the Israeli military accused Iran of using civilian aircraft to smuggle in cash to arm Hezbollah. Iran said it would not allow Lebanese flights to land until its own planes were cleared to land in Beirut. The decision to block Iranian flights was made after a US warning that Israel would attack the airport.
Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have repeatedly rebuked Tehran for what is seen as interference in Lebanon's affairs.
Mr Raggi insisted last week that the original visa expiry for Mr Sheibani “is not open to interpretation” and “his continued presence in Lebanon is in direct violation of a final and binding sovereign decision by the Lebanese state”.
“Normal relations with the Iranian mission in Lebanon can only resume once Tehran complies with the Lebanese state’s decision, in accordance with established diplomatic procedures”, Mr Raggi said.
The Lebanese Foreign Minister has not yet responded to the latest decision.
On July 5, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that peace in Lebanon would not be possible without Iran playing a stabilising role. Those comments were condemned by Mr Raggi, who saw them as interfering in Lebanese affairs.
