Lebanon extends visa of Iran's ambassador Sheibani following persona non grata designation - report

Lebanon extended the visa of Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani after it expired on Monday, despite declaring him persona non grata in March. A Lebanese anti-Hezbollah source told Haaretz that President Aoun and PM Salam "panicked and succumbed to Iranian pressure" to rescind the expulsion. Sheibani had refused orders to leave, and the move was previously praised by Israeli officials.

Lebanon extended the visa of Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammad Reza Sheibani after it expired on Monday, despite the Lebanese government having declared him persona non grata in March. Sheibani had refused orders given to him in March to leave the country after the designation, which followed a summons by the Lebanese Foreign Ministry over Iran's violations of diplomatic norms. According to KAN News, a Lebanese anti-Hezbollah political source told Haaretz that the country's authorities "panicked and succumbed to Iranian pressure" to rescind the expulsion, namely Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Sheibani originally served as Iran's ambassador to Lebanon in the early 2000s before being reappointed to the role in February prior to the persona non grata designation. The move to expel Sheibani was previously seen as positive by Israeli officials, with Alma Research and Education Center founder Lt.-Col. (res.) Sarit Zehavi telling the Post that the Iranian embassy is "traditionally known as a branch of the IRGC." Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar had praised the move as a "justified and necessary step."