More than 150 Iranian nationals, including diplomats and family members, were evacuated from Lebanon on Saturday and flown to Russia after Israeli strikes struck an area near Iran's embassy and public Israeli warnings. Another 20 Iranians left on Friday as fighting between Hezbollah and Israel intensified. Lebanon's prime minister urged authorities to arrest and deport any IRGC members suspected of military activity, though Beirut has not confirmed an Iranian military presence and Hezbollah denies it. It is unclear whether those who left were expelled or departed for safety.
150+ Iranian Diplomats and Family Members Evacuated From Lebanon After Strikes Near Embassy
A car drives past burned buildings after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 7, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Stringer
BEIRUT, March 7 (Reuters) — More than 150 Iranian nationals, including diplomats and family members, left Lebanon on Saturday and were flown to Russia on a Russian plane, a senior Lebanese security source told Reuters.
An additional 20 Iranians had departed on Friday after a fresh round of clashes between Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel. An official at Iran's embassy in Beirut confirmed that a number of non-essential diplomatic staff were being withdrawn but did not provide exact figures.
Escalation and Warnings
The departures follow Israeli strikes near Iran's embassy in Lebanon and public warnings from the Israeli military. On Tuesday an Israeli military spokesperson posted on X that representatives of the Iranian government still in Lebanon should "leave immediately before they are targeted." The exchange came after Hezbollah launched rockets and drones at Israel on Monday, prompting heavy Israeli bombardment across parts of Lebanon.
Political Fallout in Beirut
On Wednesday Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called on authorities to arrest and deport any members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who might be carrying out military activities in Lebanon — the first time Beirut has publicly suggested a potential IRGC presence on its soil. The Lebanese government has not confirmed that Iranian forces are operating in Lebanon, and Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati denied any Iranian military presence.
Two Lebanese security sources told Reuters that Israeli air strikes on Friday hit an area near Iran's embassy, and an embassy source said those strikes prompted the decision to withdraw diplomats. Separately, two people familiar with Lebanese government discussions said Beirut had been preparing measures to expel some Iranian diplomats this week.
It remains unclear whether the departures so far were forced expulsions by Lebanese authorities or voluntary evacuations for safety reasons.
Reporting: Laila Bassam and Maya Gebeily; Editing: Timothy Heritage and Jan Harvey
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