Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Arrives in Beirut Amid Diplomatic Push

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh arrived in Beirut on Wednesday at the head of a diplomatic delegation, with meetings planned with senior Lebanese officials, public figures, and academics, IRNA reported.

According to the Iranian news agency, the visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation between Tehran and Beirut.

Khatibzadeh is also expected to outline Iran’s positions on regional developments during discussions with academics.

The visit coincided with a telephone conversation between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, during which the two discussed developments in Lebanon and the wider region.

According to the Lebanese Presidency, both sides stressed the importance of diplomatic solutions as the preferred means of ending regional conflicts.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Araghchi reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to stopping attacks by the "Israeli" entity against Lebanon and ending its occupation of areas in southern Lebanon. He also briefed Aoun on Iran’s diplomatic efforts in recent weeks.

Aoun, in turn, emphasized the priority of diplomatic solutions to regional crises. The two officials also discussed expanding bilateral relations and maintaining communication between the countries’ officials.

The diplomatic contacts come amid strained relations between Beirut and Tehran since March, when Lebanon rejected the credentials of Iran’s ambassador-designate, Mohammad Reza Sheibani.

The Lebanese Foreign Ministry subsequently withdrew his accreditation and declared him persona non grata.

During the UN General Assembly in September, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam asked Iran to nominate a new ambassador to Beirut. Tehran has so far declined to name a replacement.

Iran has maintained that a ceasefire in Lebanon and an end to the "Israeli" occupation of southern Lebanese territory should form part of any final agreement with Washington.

According to the supplied account, this position is included in a June memorandum of understanding calling for an end to hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon.

The Lebanese government, however, has pursued a separate approach centered on direct negotiations with the "Israeli" side, which the supplied account says have yet to produce progress toward ending attacks on Lebanese civilians and infrastructure.