Iranian Ambassador “summoned” in Lebanon over remarks on Hezbollah arms
Shafaq News/ Iranian Ambassador Mojtaba Amani was summoned to the Lebanese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, days after controversial remarks that Lebanese authorities viewed as interference in the country’s internal affairs.
The ambassador was received by Hani Chemaitelly, Secretary-General of the ministry, who emphasized the need for diplomats to respect international protocols, particularly the Vienna Convention, which upholds state sovereignty and prohibits foreign involvement in domestic matters.
The move came after Amani made public comments last Friday rejecting calls for Hezbollah to disarm, calling such efforts “a clear conspiracy against nations.”
While he did not name Hezbollah or Lebanon directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as a response to ongoing domestic and international pressure to curtail the group's military role.
In his statement, Amani accused Western countries of applying double standards, saying, “While the United States continues to supply the Zionist entity [Israel] with advanced weapons and missiles, it simultaneously pressures other countries to reduce or dismantle their arsenals.”
إن مشروع #نزع_السلاح هو مؤامرة واضحة ضد الدول. ففي الوقت الذي تواصل فيه الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية تزويد الكيان الصهيوني بأحدث الأسلحة والصواريخ، تمنع دولا من تسليح وتقوية جيوشها، وتضغط على دول أخرى لتقليص ترسانتها أو تدميرها تحت ذرائع مختلفة. وبمجرد أن تستسلم تلك الدول لمطالب…
— مجتبی امانی (@mojtaba_amaani) April 18, 2025
Speaking to Al Jadeed TV on Monday, Amani said that Iran remains committed to respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and supports “whatever the Lebanese agree upon” regarding Hezbollah’s arms. He also downplayed the visit to the ministry, describing it as part of a routine diplomatic engagement rather than a formal summons.
The ambassador’s remarks have triggered mixed reactions across Lebanon’s political spectrum. Some officials criticized them as undue interference, while others pointed to what they described as inconsistency in state policy. They highlighted a previous statement by US envoy Morgan Ortagus, who openly called for Hezbollah’s disarmament and its exclusion from Lebanon’s political system—without eliciting an official Lebanese response.
