Trending Now - Iranian Envoy Defies Expulsion Order, Stays in Lebanon
WHO:
AP - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that the Iranian ambassador will continue his mission in Beirut.
The Jerusalem Post - Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi, speaker of parliament Nabih Berri, Hezbollah, Amal party.
WHAT:
AP - The Iranian ambassador, Mohammad Reza Shibani, reportedly refused to leave Lebanon despite being declared persona non grata.
AP - Health officials in Lebanon reported over 1,200 people have been killed and over 1 million displaced due to the ongoing conflict.
The Jerusalem Post - The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon was declared persona non grata by the Lebanese government.
Yahoo - The Lebanese government ordered Mohammad Reza Sheibani to leave the country.
The Jerusalem Post - The Lebanese Foreign Minister confirmed the decision to declare Sheibani persona non grata and requested he leave Lebanese territory no later than March 29th, 2026.
Reuters - Over 100 officers from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were deployed to Lebanon to assist Hezbollah.
WHERE:
The Jerusalem Post - Lebanon, specifically mentioning Beirut as a location of celebration regarding Iran's perceived victory.
WHEN:
The Jerusalem Post - The Lebanese government declared Sheibani persona non grata on March 26th, 2026.
The Jerusalem Post - The deadline for Sheibani to leave Lebanon is March 29th, 2026.
Reuters - The report about the IRGC's deployment was published on March 21st, 2026.
The Jerusalem Post - A ceasefire between Israel and Iran was announced by President Trump on June 25th, 2025.
The Jerusalem Post - The ceasefire occurred after the 2024 war, which included significant losses for Hezbollah.
WHY:
AP - Hezbollah described the Lebanese government's expulsion order as a "reckless and reprehensible measure" and a capitulation to external pressures.
The Jerusalem Post - The decision to expel the Iranian ambassador was made following Hezbollah and Amal politicians boycotting parliamentary sessions.
HOW:
AP - A Lebanese diplomatic official indicated that Iran exerted "extreme pressure" on the Lebanese government and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to reverse the expulsion decision.
The Jerusalem Post - The Lebanese Foreign Minister instructed the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the Iranian Chargé d’Affaires to inform him of the expulsion decision.
(UPDATED March 30, 2026 23:09 UTC)
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei announced that the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Shibani, will continue his mission in Beirut despite being declared persona non grata. This comes as health officials in Lebanon report over 1,200 fatalities and more than 1 million people displaced due to the ongoing conflict, while Hezbollah condemned the government's expulsion order as a reckless capitulation to external pressures. A Lebanese diplomatic official revealed that Iran applied extreme pressure on the Lebanese government and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to reverse the expulsion decision.
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(UPDATED March 30, 2026 19:22 UTC)
The Lebanese government has declared Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country by on Sunday. This decision follows a boycott of parliamentary sessions by Hezbollah and Amal politicians, and it was confirmed by Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi. Meanwhile, over 100 officers from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have been deployed to Lebanon to assist Hezbollah, as reported earlier this month.