Iranians, Including Diplomats, Evacuated from Beirut on Russian Plane
Lebanon’s restrictions on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard activity come as regional war intensifies and Israeli strikes hit Beirut
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — More than 100 Iranian nationals, including diplomats, were evacuated from Beirut overnight on a Russian aircraft, a Lebanese official told AFP on Sunday, amid escalating regional tensions and ongoing Israeli strikes on the Lebanese capital.
According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, a total of 117 Iranians—including diplomats and embassy staff—departed from Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport late Saturday night into Sunday.
The evacuation followed a decision by Lebanese authorities on Thursday to ban any activity by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Lebanon and impose visa requirements on Iranian nationals entering the country.
The move is widely seen as part of efforts to curb Iran’s influence in Lebanon and pressure Hezbollah, the Iran-backed armed group that holds significant influence in the country.
The Lebanese official said the Iranian embassy had informed authorities in advance about the evacuation operation, which was conducted through Beirut’s international airport. The destination of the Russian aircraft was not disclosed.
The flight also transported the bodies of an Iranian diplomat who was killed earlier this week, along with his wife and three children. Their remains were repatriated to Iran on the same plane, the official added.
The evacuation comes as the conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States continues to escalate across the region.
Despite heavy bombardment in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, Rafic Hariri International Airport remains operational, although most commercial flights are currently being handled by Lebanon’s national carrier, Middle East Airlines.
According to a Lebanese security source, Hezbollah is coordinating with Iranian liaison officers as the war intensifies. The group on Monday launched attacks against Israel, effectively drawing Lebanon into the broader conflict between Tehran, Washington, and Tel Aviv.
Overnight from Saturday to Sunday, an Israeli strike targeted a seafront hotel in Beirut, marking the first time the heart of the Lebanese capital had been hit since the start of the war.
The Israel Defense Forces said the operation was a “precise strike” targeting key commanders of the Lebanon Corps of the Quds Force, the branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard responsible for foreign operations.
Lebanon’s health ministry reported that four people were killed and 10 others wounded in the strike.
Earlier in the week, the Israeli military also announced that it had killed a senior Quds Force commander responsible for Lebanon in a strike carried out in Tehran, highlighting the widening geographic scope of the conflict.