Lebanon reprimands Iran envoy over comments on Hezbollah disarmament

(Reuters) - Lebanon's overseas ministry reprimanded Tehran's ambassador to Beirut connected Thursday implicit comments alleging that plans to disarm Iran-backed Lebanese militant radical Hezbollah were a "conspiracy".

Hezbollah is nether mounting unit to relinquish its arsenal aft a 2024 struggle with Israel severely weakened it and near overmuch of confederate Lebanon successful ruins.

President Joseph Aoun is expected to statesman talks with the radical connected disarmament, seen for years arsenic a taboo taxable due to the fact that of the group's sway implicit the Lebanese state.

On April 18, Iran's ambassador to Beirut Mojtaba Amani posted connected X that "the disarmament task is simply a wide conspiracy".

"We successful the Islamic Republic of Iran are alert of the information of this conspiracy ... we pass others not to autumn into the trap of enemies," helium wrote.

On Thursday, Lebanon's overseas ministry said it had summoned Amani "due to his caller nationalist stances" and that apical ministry authoritative Hani Shmaytelli "informed him of the request to adhere to diplomatic protocols ... connected the sovereignty of states and non-interference successful their interior affairs".

Amani told Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed connected Wednesday that helium had been summoned specifically implicit the X post, but that helium had missed that archetypal assignment - resulting successful him being summoned again connected Thursday.

Criticism of Iran by apical Lebanese officials was antithetic for years, peculiarly fixed Tehran's sponsorship of Hezbollah.

Last year, then-prime curate Najib Mikati made a uncommon rebuke to Iran and said Amani should beryllium summoned implicit reported comments by a elder Iranian official.

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Alison Williams)