Lebanese FM rejects Iran visit, demands neutral site
Shafaq News – Beirut / Tehran
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi declined Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s invitation to visit Tehran, citing conditions “unsuitable” for such a visit.
In a post on Wednesday, Raggi said he invited Araghchi to meet instead in a “neutral” country, adding that Lebanon is ready to open a new chapter in relations based on mutual respect, sovereignty, and noninterference. He noted that the Iranian foreign minister remains welcome to visit Lebanon.
In my response to Iranian Minister @araghchi, I stated that I could not accept his invitation to visit Tehran under the current circumstances. I explained that this does not mean a refusal to engage in dialogue, but rather that the conditions are not conducive to this visit.I…
— Youssef Raggi (@YoussefRaggi) December 10, 2025
Last week, Araghchi reiterated his call for Raggi to visit Tehran, saying Iran welcomes direct dialogue without a third-party venue. His comments followed an interview in which Raggi called for talks in a neutral country like Switzerland and urged the Lebanese government to take a clear position on Hezbollah’s statements and military alignment with Iran.
صديقي العزيز وزير الخارجية اللبناني يوسف رجّي @YoussefRajji دعاني في مقابلة مع @MTVLebanon إلى إجراء التفاوض.نحن لا نتدخّل في الشؤون الداخلية للبنان؛ لكنّنا نرحّب بأي حوار بهدف تعزيز العلاقات الثنائية بين إيران ولبنان، ولا حاجة لبلدٍ ثالث. أدعو زميلي يوسف لزيارة طهران، وأنا… pic.twitter.com/gD8pqbmkab
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) November 21, 2025
Tensions have emerged in Iran-Lebanon relations, with the main issue centering on the Lebanese Government’s demand that the state alone holds the exclusive right to arms, an apparent reference to the extensive arsenal of the Iranian-backed group, Hezbollah. Iran continues to deny any role in Lebanon's internal affairs, with the Foreign Ministry spokesman recently affirming that there is no Iranian interference.
