The Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar has reported that Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi is deliberately obstructing the accreditation of Iran’s newly appointed ambassador to Beirut, in what the paper describes as a violation of established diplomatic protocol.

Following the appointment of Ahmad Suwaydan as Lebanon’s ambassador to Tehran last October, Iran submitted the name of its proposed envoy to Lebanon, as is customary in diplomatic exchanges. Yet, according to the report, the process has stalled at the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sources said Raggi has withheld the ambassador’s credentials in his office, refusing to forward them to the cabinet or the presidential palace. This failure to complete the required legal procedures has effectively blocked the Iranian envoy from assuming his post in Beirut.

The newspaper further suggested that Raggi’s actions are not bureaucratic oversights but rather a calculated political maneuver aligned with the Lebanese Forces (LF) party. The alleged intent, according to informed sources, is to escalate tensions with Iran and push bilateral relations toward a diplomatic crisis.

Meanwhile, exchanges between the foreign ministers of Iran and Lebanon have surfaced in the media. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated Tehran’s respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty and invited Raggi to visit Tehran. Raggi declined, proposing instead to meet in a third country, while claiming Lebanon’s readiness to open a “new phase” of constructive relations.

Araghchi responded publicly, expressing surprise at Raggi’s refusal to reciprocate Iran’s invitation, noting that countries with “fraternal ties and full diplomatic relations” should not require neutral venues for dialogue. He added that, given Lebanon’s ongoing challenges with Israeli violations, he understood Raggi’s hesitation but would nonetheless accept the invitation to visit Beirut.

The episode highlights a troubling contradiction: while Lebanon’s foreign minister speaks of building constructive relations, his refusal to process Iran’s ambassadorial credentials undermines the very foundation of diplomatic engagement.