In shift, Lebanon grants Iranian ambassador residency extension

Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon will be allowed to stay in the country after his current visa expires, Lebanese media reported on Monday, just days after Beirut’s top diplomat said he must leave. 

What happened: Local outlets MTV Lebanon and Al-Jadeed reported that Mohammad Reza Sheibani was granted a six-month residency permit based on his status as a former diplomat, referencing his previous stint as ambassador from 2006 to 2009 and not his current role. 

The Beirut-based L’Orient Today and the Saudi news outlet Al-Hadath reported that Sheibani no longer holds the status of ambassador or diplomatic immunity, and that the residency was granted as a “courtesy.” 

Lebanon withdrew Sheibani’s accreditation and declared him persona non grata in March. He had been summoned by Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji earlier that month after Iran declared a joint operation with Hezbollah against Israel. The revocation came amid growing Lebanese pressure on Hezbollah to disarm, and Beirut has repeatedly said that foreign policy decisions are made solely by the government.