Lebanon files UN complaint against Iran over interference, Hezbollah-Israel war

Lebanon has lodged a formal complaint against Iran at the United Nations, accusing Tehran of violating diplomatic protocol, interfering in the country’s internal affairs, and dragging Lebanon into war, Al Arabiya English has learned.

In a letter circulated among members of the UN Security Council and General Assembly, Beirut accused Iran of violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and conducting unauthorized activities on Lebanese territory through Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

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The complaint comes amid mounting tensions between the Lebanese government and Iran-backed Hezbollah following months of conflict with Israel. Earlier this year, Hezbollah opened a front against Israel by firing rockets across the border after the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, triggering a major escalation that drew Lebanon deeper into the regional conflict.

Lebanese officials have increasingly accused Hezbollah of acting independently of the state and undermining Lebanon’s sovereignty by tying the country to Iran’s regional agenda.

The Lebanese government also banned Hezbollah’s military activities earlier this year, a decision that the group refuses to comply with.

The letter to the UN accuses Iran of “blatant violations” inside Lebanon, including illegal IRGC operations.

An Israeli strike on a hotel in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, earlier this year killed several IRGC members. Lebanon said Tehran had failed to coordinate the entry and transfer of individuals Iran described as “diplomats.”

According to Beirut, the names of those killed had not been formally registered as diplomats with Lebanese authorities.

The dispute has further strained ties between Beirut and Tehran. Lebanon recently expelled Iran’s ambassador, accusing him of interfering in Lebanese affairs and exceeding diplomatic norms, but the envoy has so far refused to leave the country.

Read more: Third round of Lebanon-Israel talks to be held next week: US official