Lebanon Imposes Restrictions on Iranian Entry and Decides to Prosecute Revolutionary Guard Elements

The Lebanese government, during a ministerial session held on Thursday, announced a series of decisive decisions aimed at controlling the Iranian military and security presence within the country. Lebanese authorities affirmed their determination to prevent any activity by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard if the presence of its elements is verified, emphasizing the need to protect national sovereignty from any external interventions that could drag the country into additional conflicts.

Information Minister Paul Morcos, in an official statement read after the session, clarified that the Council of Ministers tasked the relevant ministries and departments, primarily the Ministries of Defense and Interior, with issuing the necessary directives to verify the identity and activities of individuals suspected of belonging to the Revolutionary Guard. Morcos indicated that the state will not tolerate any security or military action planned or executed from within Lebanese territory, regardless of the guise under which these individuals operate.

The government's decisions included clear instructions to military and security agencies to intervene immediately and firmly to stop any suspicious movements, with those involved being referred to the competent judiciary for eventual deportation. This step comes within the government's efforts to enforce the rule of law and prevent the use of Lebanese geography as a launching pad for implementing private agendas or military operations that do not serve the supreme national interest.

In a related context of diplomatic measures, the Lebanese government decided to revoke the decision to exempt Iranian nationals from entry visas, imposing the requirement of obtaining a prior visa as a basic condition for entering Lebanese territory. The government justified this approach by the necessity of border control and applying the principle of reciprocity, as well as the desire to monitor the movement of arrivals to ensure that internal security is not compromised or previous facilities are not exploited for illegal purposes.

These official Lebanese moves follow threats issued by the Israeli occupation army to target what it described as 'representatives of the Iranian regime' present in Lebanon, giving them a short deadline to leave. These pressures coincide with a state of severe tension in the region, especially after the expansion of military confrontations, which included mutual targeting between Hezbollah and the occupation forces in northern areas.

Observers believe that these decisions represent a significant shift in the Lebanese state's handling of the Iranian file, especially given the complex circumstances following the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Through these measures, Beirut seeks to neutralize itself from direct conflict and avoid military escalation that threatens the fragile ceasefire agreement reached late last year.

The Council of Ministers decided on firm and immediate intervention to prevent any activity or security or military action that Revolutionary Guard elements might undertake from Lebanese territory.