Cars and motorcycles pass in front of billboards showing the new Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, and his deceased father, Ali Khamenei, with the slogan "Thank you to loyal Iran." (Credit: Mohamed Azakir/Reuters)
BEIRUT — Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar said Thursday, on the sidelines of the Cabinet meeting, that he had ordered the removal of banners expressing thanks to Iran that were posted a few days ago along the road to Beirut airport.
This decision “is part of efforts to organize public spaces and ensure the enforcement of current laws and regulations,” Hajjar announced to the press upon arriving at the Baabda presidential palace for the Cabinet meeting.
Along the road to Beirut–RafiK Hariri International Airport, posters showing Iran's new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, and his late father, Ali Khamenei, with the slogan “Thank you to loyal Iran,” were put up this week.
This came just days after the announcement of an agreement on a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, as part of negotiations led by Iran and the United States in Pakistan. The announcement comes despite direct talks between Lebanese authorities and Israel under U.S. auspices, the latest round of which is set to conclude Thursday.
In 2022, the tourism ministry asked Hezbollah and the Amal Movement to remove some of the billboards lining the road to the airport that depicted religious and political figures venerated by the two groups. The ministry requested that these be replaced with boards promoting Lebanon's tourism sector.
