Lebanese PM doubles down on criticism of Iran following Ghalibaf comments

Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has reiterated his criticism of Iran over its alleged interference in Lebanese affairs, saying that the Lebanese government would summon the Iranian ambassador to the country.

Speaking to the Saudi-owned news channel Al-Arabiya he said that Iran must "lessen its emotions" towards Lebanon.

His comments came amid a diplomatic crisis between Iran and Lebanon which began after Iranian parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf told the French newspaper Le Figaro last week that his country was willing to work with France to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

The 2006 UN resolution calls for the Lebanese army and UNIFIL to be deployed in Lebanon south of the Litani River and the withdrawal of Hezbollah and Israeli forces from the area.

Miqati expressed "surprise" at Ghalibaf’s remarks, saying last Friday that they were a "blatant interference in Lebanese affairs and an attempt to impose an unacceptable guardianship over Lebanon".

On Monday he told Al-Arabiya that he had "informed the Iranian leadership that they should lessen their emotions towards Lebanon," adding that he had "personally reviewed" Ghalibaf’s comments.

He said Iran had "got the message" following his protests, but earlier said that he had instructed Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib to summon the Iranian charge d’affaires for clarification of Ghalibaf’s comments.

Iran has rejected Miqati’s comments, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei saying that Iran had no intention of interfering in Lebanese affairs or those of any country.

Iran is the main sponsor of Hezbollah, which Israel is at war with Lebanon.

Fighting between Hezbollah and Israel broke out in October 2023 following Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel and the outbreak of Gaza’s war.

Israel however dramatically escalated its attacks on Lebanon last September, killing most of Hezbollah’s top leadership as well as thousands of civilians, while forcing over a million Lebanese to leave their homes.