Lebanese PM urges Iran to appoint new ambassador — Anadolu Agency

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New York, United States, called on Tehran to nominate a new ambassador to Beirut. He also proposed opening a new chapter in bilateral relations at the state level, Anadolu Agency reports.

Meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly

The talks took place on September 24 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also took part.

According to a statement by the Lebanese prime minister’s media office, Salam stressed that Lebanon had paid a high price for the country’s security, stability and economy and did not want to be an arena for regional conflicts or an exchange of political messages. He said Beirut sought relations with Iran based on respect for the sovereignty and independence of both states, non-interference in internal affairs and mutual interests.

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Diplomatic tensions since March

Relations between Beirut and Tehran have remained tense since March, when Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry declared Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani persona non grata. He was appointed to the post in February. At the time, the Lebanese ministry explained the decision by Iran’s violation of diplomatic norms and established procedures between the two countries, without specifying details.

Separately, Salam named Lebanon’s priorities as the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory, an end to attacks, the extension of state authority across the entire country and keeping weapons exclusively under state control. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, as of September 17, 4,386 people had been killed and more than 12,000 injured since the start of the latest war on March 2, 2025.