Lebanon faces political turmoil following expulsion of Iranian ambassador

The expulsion of Iran’s ambassador from Lebanon has sparked a serious trust crisis between President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Al-Akhbar newspaper says.

Berri expressed deep bewilderment at the move, noting that he and the president had previously agreed on full coordination for any steps related to the ongoing military conflict in the region. He was reportedly surprised not only by the decision of Foreign Minister Joseph Reda but also by President Aoun’s failure to deny that the action had been coordinated with him.

Informed sources say Reda’s decision was effectively made at the behest of Saudi Arabia. Officials in Riyadh, overseeing Lebanese affairs, reportedly took action from the earliest days of the war, first demanding official statements condemning Iranian strikes on US bases in the Persian Gulf. They then urged their Lebanese allies to take practical measures and explored whether allied forces could mobilize a public movement. However, sources noted their surprise when Lebanon’s Sunni community—traditionally considered aligned with Saudi Arabia—refused to participate in anti-Iranian actions.

Earlier reports indicated that Lebanon had revoked the accreditation of the Iranian-appointed ambassador and ordered him to leave the country by March 29. Yet, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the ambassador remains in Beirut and that the embassy continues to operate despite Lebanon’s expulsion order.

By Vafa Guliyeva