Lebanese sources told BBC Persian that Lebanon’s General Security Office extended the residence of Mohammad Reza Shibani, Iran’s ambassador in Beirut, for six months as “a former diplomat who previously served in Lebanon.”

According to these sources, this visa does not allow Mr. Shibani to carry out diplomatic activities and, in practice, he can continue to reside in Lebanon like an ordinary foreign citizen. His previous visa expired yesterday.

The continued presence of Mr. Shibani in Lebanon—announced by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an “undesirable element”—had in recent days been in the spotlight of Lebanese media, and until today it was not clear whether he would stay in Lebanon or leave the country.

On 24 March, which corresponds to 4 Farvardin 1405, Youssef Reji, Lebanon’s foreign minister, declared Mr. Shibani an “undesirable element” and refused to approve his credentials.

After that, Lebanon’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave Mr. Shibani five days to leave the country.

However, this move quickly turned into a broad internal dispute in Lebanon.

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