Lebanon's Foreign Minister has said international relations should be conducted through state institutions in response to criticism from Abbas Araghchi, his Iranian counterpart, over Beirut’s handling of ties with Tehran.
In a statement posted on X, Youssef Raggi said respect for sovereignty was a reciprocal principle. “Just as Iran, or any other host country, would not accept a Lebanese ambassador bypassing its official institutions to engage independently with parties or factions, Lebanon does not accept such conduct either,” he said.
Mr Raggi, an open critic of the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, declared Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, persona non grata in late March. His visa was renewed in late August after a compromise but he did not regain his diplomatic status.
Mr Araghchi said he hoped the Lebanese Foreign Ministry would show “greater rationality”, while adding that Iran sought good relations with “all groups and factions in Lebanon”, as well as with the Lebanese government.
Mr Raggi countered: “Rationality in relations between states begins, first and foremost, with engaging with states through their legitimate constitutional institutions, rather than with internal ‘parties’ or ‘factions’.” He said he welcomed Mr Araghchi’s stated interest in maintaining strong bilateral ties with the Lebanese government.
The exchange is the latest amid rising tension between Beirut and Tehran over Iran’s relationship with Hezbollah. The Lebanese government has pushed to disarm all militias, including Hezbollah, amid increased pressure from Washington on the group to surrender its weapons.
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have declared Hezbollah’s military activities illegal and opened direct talks with Israel aimed at ending hostilities.
The latest conflict began on March 2, when Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel in support of Iran, and in retaliation for Israel's daily violation of a previous so-called ceasefire. Israel's disproportionate military response has killed more than 4,000 people and destroyed dozens of villages in southern Lebanon, where it has stationed troops.
