Lebanon has withdrawn its accreditation of Iran’s ambassador and declared him a “persona non grata".
In a statement, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Shibani has until March 29 to leave the country.
The ministry said Lebanese Ambassador to Iran, Ahmad Sweidan, was also recalled for consultations.
The move came over the “violations by Tehran of established diplomatic norms and protocols” between the two countries, the ministry added.
On March 5, Lebanon’s government ordered authorities to pursue and arrest any members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operating in the country.
Last year, President Joseph Aoun told Iran that no group in Lebanon is permitted to bear arms or rely on foreign backing.
Israel has pounded Lebanon with air strikes and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since March 2.
Lebanese authorities say at least 1,039 people have since been killed and 2,876 injured in Israeli attacks.
The current escalation came amid a joint US-Israeli offensive on Iran, which has killed over 1,340 people since February 28.
Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries, saying they are aimed at “US military assets.”
