Lebanon tells Iranian envoy to stay out of country’s domestic affairs

The Lebanese Foreign Ministry tells Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, not to interfere with the country’s internal affairs, after he criticized efforts by the country to disarm Iran’s ally Hezbollah, according to Saudi news outlet Al Arabiya.

The ambassador was summoned to Beirut for a meeting with Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Hani Chemaitelly, said Al Arabiya, citing a statement from the ministry.

Youssef Raggi, Lebanon’s Foreign Minister, said yesterday at a meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers in Cairo that Lebanon “reject[s] any foreign interference in our internal affairs. We support positive neutrality, mutual respect for sovereignty, and shared Arab interests.”

From my statement at the meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers:

We in #Lebanon reject any foreign interference in our internal affairs. We support positive neutrality, mutual respect for sovereignty, and shared Arab interests. pic.twitter.com/LUA1C3ipow

— Youssef Raggi (@YoussefRaggi) April 23, 2025

On April 18, Amani wrote in Arabic on social media about the disarmament of Hezbollah, as “a clear conspiracy against states.”

إن مشروع #نزع_السلاح هو مؤامرة واضحة ضد الدول. ففي الوقت الذي تواصل فيه الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية تزويد الكيان الصهيوني بأحدث الأسلحة والصواريخ، تمنع دولا من تسليح وتقوية جيوشها، وتضغط على دول أخرى لتقليص ترسانتها أو تدميرها تحت ذرائع مختلفة. وبمجرد أن تستسلم تلك الدول لمطالب…

— مجتبی امانی (@mojtaba_amaani) April 18, 2025

“At a time when the United States of America continues to supply the Zionist entity with the latest weapons and missiles, it prevents other countries from arming and strengthening their armies,” he wrote, adding that Iran is “fully aware of the danger of this conspiracy and its threat to the security of the peoples of the region. We warn others not to fall into the trap of the enemies.”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Sunday that disarming the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group is a “delicate” matter whose implementation requires the right circumstances, warning that forcing the issue could lead the country to ruin.

On Friday, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said the group “will not let anyone disarm” it, as Washington presses Beirut to compel the Shiite terror group to hand over its weapons.