Iranian envoy to Lebanon declared persona non grata

Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry has declared Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani persona non grata.

"The Lebanese state has withdrawn its approval of the candidature of Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani and declares him persona non grata," the statement reads.

The Iranian diplomat must leave Beirut by March 29. "Tehran’s violation of diplomatic norms and routine practice of communication between states" was cited as the reason for the ambassador’s expulsion.

Earlier, Secretary-General of the Lebanese Foreign Ministry Abdel Sattar Issa said that the country’s ambassador to Tehran, Ahmad Suweidan, had been "recalled for consultations."