More than 150 Iranian nationals, including diplomats and their families, left Lebanon on Saturday, a senior Lebanese security source told Reuters, after an Israeli army spokesperson threatened the "representatives" of Iran present in Lebanon.
According to the source, they were evacuated aboard a Russian plane bound for Russia. Around 20 Iranians had already left the country on Friday, following the outbreak of renewed hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military called on representatives of the Iranian government “still present in Lebanon to leave the country immediately before becoming targets.”
Iran's foreign ministry confirmed in a later statement that Iranian nationals residing in Lebanon have temporarily left Beirut owing to the security situation in the country.
The Iranian embassy in Lebanon continues its normal operations and consular services for Iranian nationals residing there will continue as before, it added.
On Friday, Israeli airstrikes struck an area near Iran’s embassy in Lebanon, according to two security sources who spoke to Reuters. A source at the Iranian embassy told Reuters that the strikes had driven the decision for Iranian diplomats to leave.
However, Lebanese authorities had also been considering actions against Iranian diplomats this week, two sources familiar with government discussions said. They indicated that the Lebanese government had planned to expel some diplomats. Reuters could not confirm whether those who have left so far were expelled or departed for security reasons.
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