Iran has refused Lebanon’s order to expel its ambassador, and the standoff adds to rising tension as Hezbollah and Israel fight.
Read full article: Seafood industry experts warn supply disruptions are pushing seafood prices higherTemperatures climb but rain coverage remains isolated this weekSt. Augustine to replace downtown parking kiosks with cashless touchscreens this weekA woman holds a portrait of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a protest outside Iran's embassy, where dozens of people gathered waving Hezbollah and Iranian flags in solidarity with the Islamic Republic, in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, March 26, 2026.
Portraits of Hezbollah's late leaders Hassan Nasrallah, right, and his cousin, Hashem Safieddine, are seen, as smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, Monday, March 30, 2026. Displaced people who fled Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon sit inside tents used as shelters as a rainbow breaks through the rain in Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, March 29, 2026. A woman holds a portrait of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a protest outside Iran's embassy, where dozens of people gathered waving Hezbollah and Iranian flags in solidarity with the Islamic Republic, in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, March 26, 2026. – Iran on Monday defied Lebanon's expulsion order for its ambassador by saying he would stay, further increasing tensions in a country in the crosshairs of the latest Lebanon had declared Ambassador Mohammad Reza Shibani “persona non grata" in an effort to weaken Iran's diplomatic presence and have a charge d'affairs at its embassy instead. But the deadline to leave the country was Sunday.“Our embassy in Lebanon is active,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told journalists. “Our ambassador, following remarks made by relevant Lebanese bodies and the conclusions reached, will continue his mission in Beirut and he is still there.” Lebanese officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not clear what Lebanon would might do next or how diplomatic relations might be affected. The Iranian ambassador is reportedly in the embassy, where he is believed to have diplomatic immunity.“This morning, the Iranian ambassador is drinking his coffee in Beirut and making a mockery of the ‘host’ country,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Monday on X. “Lebanon is a virtual country that is effectively occupied by Iran."Lebanon, under increasing pressure to disarm Hezbollah, earlier this month announced a ban on its military activities as well as those by Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard. Then came the ambassador's expulsion order. Hezbollah called it a “reckless and reprehensible measure” and “a clear capitulation to external pressures and dictates.” It organized a rally near the Iranian embassy to back the ambassador. A Lebanese diplomatic official said that over the past week, Iran “put extreme pressure” on the government and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a key political ally of Hezbollah, in an bid to reverse the decision. Beirut is concerned that Iran’s inclusion of the war in Lebanon among its conditions for dialogue with Washington would affect Lebanon's efforts to disarm Hezbollah, the official added, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Hezbollah says Iran has been a key ally of the group that claims it serves as a military deterrent to Israel while providing social services, largely for Lebanon's Shiite Muslim community. But critics say Hezbollah's armed presence, the most powerful in the country, and its independent decision-making violates Lebanese sovereignty and compromises its relationship with other Arab countries and the West.The rift has weakened Lebanon’s efforts to find a way to end the war. President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, while critical of Israel’s invasion, have condemned Hezbollah's firing of rockets towards Israel, in solidarity with Iran, that sparked the latest fighting.without aggressive confrontation. The militant group was weakened by its previous war with Israel, and many saw a chance to act. Aoun and Salam came to power not long after the last war ended in November 2024, pledging to disarm Hezbollah and all non-state actors. But frictions inside Lebanon are worsening, especially after Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, a staunch opponent of Hezbollah, announced the expulsion order for the Iranian ambassador. “Don’t play with fire because this fire will burn you, your people, and those behind you,” Mahmoud Qamati, a senior official in Hezbollah's political bureau, said in a recent fiery address aimed at Rajji, who is a cabinet pick by the Christian Lebanese Forces party, Hezbollah’s bitter rival. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. 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This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.St. Augustine replacing downtown parking kiosks with cashless touchscreensHundreds participate in Jacksonville ‘No Kings’ rally against Trump administrationFlagler College students protest housing policy as seniors cite affordability, availability concernsGAME DAY ⚾🦐 The defending Triple-A National Champion Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp returnShould an HOA or property management company be required to post parking rules for visitors?Fights erupt at Palatka Junior-Senior High after field trip focused on mental healthMother of teen punched during arrest says officer went too far⚾️ Opening Day + perfect weather=the ultimate Friday night in JaxStudy finds most ‘Mayport Shrimp’ dishes served in Jacksonville area are actually importedNew ‘larger format’ Publix store in SilverLeaf features wine bar, expanded deli menu, custom pizzasFamily of A’hmari Robinson shares stories at candlelight vigil days after his deathGetting ready for the next GROW ROUND! 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Iran defies Lebanon's order expelling its ambassador as tensions soar over HezbollahIran has refused Lebanon’s order to expel its ambassador, and the standoff adds to rising tension as Hezbollah and Israel fight. On Monday, Iran says its embassy stays active and its ambassador keeps working in Beirut. Lebanon had set a Sunday deadline after declaring him “persona non grata.” Lebanese officials are not responding to questions.
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