Lebanon's foreign ministry reprimanded Tehran's ambassador to Beirut on Thursday over comments alleging that plans to disarm Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah were a "conspiracy".
Iran's ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani, Reuters/Mohamed Azakir
Lebanon's foreign ministry reprimanded Tehran's ambassador to Beirut on Thursday over comments alleging that plans to disarm Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah were a "conspiracy".
Hezbollah is under mounting pressure to relinquish its arsenal after a 2024 conflict with Israel badly weakened it and left much of southern Lebanon in ruins.
President Joseph Aoun is expected to begin talks with the group on disarmament, seen for years as a taboo subject because of the group's sway over the Lebanese state.
On April 18, Iran's ambassador to Beirut Mojtaba Amani posted on X that "the disarmament project is a clear conspiracy".
"We in the Islamic Republic of Iran are aware of the danger of this conspiracy ... we warn others not to fall into the trap of enemies," he wrote.
On Thursday, Lebanon's foreign ministry said it had summoned Amani "due to his recent public stances" and that top ministry official Hani Shmaytelli "informed him of the need to adhere to diplomatic protocols ... on the sovereignty of states and non-interference in their internal affairs".
Amani told Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed on Wednesday that he had been summoned specifically over the X post, but that he had missed that first appointment - resulting in him being summoned again on Thursday.
Criticism of Iran by top Lebanese officials was unusual for years, particularly given Tehran's sponsorship of Hezbollah.
Last year, then-prime minister Najib Mikati made a rare rebuke to Iran and said Amani should be summoned over reported comments by a senior Iranian official.
Reporting by Maya Gebeily
Maronite Patriarch Béchara Raï reiterated his support Sunday for the US-brokered framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel in late June, describing it during his Sunday homily as a "national path to resolving outstanding issues, consolidating a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, and preserving the state's sovereignty over its entire territory."
President Donald Trump said late on Saturday the U.S. would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
US embassies in Jerusalem, Baghdad and Amman issued security alerts Saturday urging American citizens to exercise "heightened vigilance," as tensions flare between Iran and the United States. Americans were also told to "consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation."
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.