An Iranian diplomatic source told AFP that the appointed Iranian ambassador, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, will remain in Lebanon after a deadline set by Lebanon's Foreign Ministry for him to leave the country expires on Sunday, following the withdrawal of its approval for his accreditation. According to the source's statement to AFP, the appointed Iranian ambassador, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, will stay in Lebanon after the deadline given to him by Lebanon's Foreign Ministry to leave the country expires on Sunday, following the withdrawal of its approval for his accreditation. The source stated: "The ambassador will not leave Lebanon, in response to the wishes of Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah, who had called on Lebanese authorities to 'immediately backtrack' on the withdrawal of Sheibani's accreditation." Earlier, Lebanese authorities had decided to revoke the accreditation of the appointed Iranian ambassador in Beirut and announced that they had granted him a deadline until Sunday to leave the country, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants. Lebanon's National News Agency reported that the ministry had summoned the Chargé d'affaires of Iran, Tawfiq Sumadi Khushkhu, who informed the Secretary-General, Ambassador Abdel Sattar Issa, of the Lebanese state's decision to withdraw its approval for the accreditation of the appointed Iranian ambassador, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, and to declare him persona non grata. Lebanese authorities demanded that the ambassador leave Lebanese soil no later than Sunday, March 29, 2026. In the same context, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Lebanon's ambassador to Iran, Ahmed Sweidan, for consultations, following what it described as Tehran's violation of diplomatic customs and established rules of engagement between the two countries.
