Lebanon kicked out Iran’s ambassador-designate Tuesday, making it the fourth Arab country in a week to oust Iranian officials as Tehran’s grip on the region rapidly weakens.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi announced on X that Mohammad Reza Shibani must leave the country by March 29. Beirut also ousted its Iranian ambassador Tuesday, the Washington Examiner reported.
Shibani took over the post earlier this year after his predecessor, Mojtaba Amani, suffered injuries during the September 2024 pager attack that devastated Hezbollah’s ranks. The Lebanese government had already banned Hezbollah military operations on March 2, Reuters reported. The government reportedly ordered the arrest of any IRGC members operating in the country days later.
Raggi appeared at a gathering of regional officials in Riyadh last week, where he accused Iran of exploiting Arab nations for its own strategic ends, the Jerusalem Post reported.
“By targeting Arab and Islamic countries, Iran is attempting to hijack their security and peace and trade them for its own opportunistic objectives,” Raggi said. Lebanon also voiced support for Kuwait and the UAE after both countries uncovered Hezbollah terror cells on their soil, the outlet reported.