Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amaani, has denied rumors that he defected to Israel, following claims made by Iranian opposition groups on social media after the envoy had not been seen in public for 24 hours.
Amaani responded to the rumors on X, dismissing them as part of Israel's psychological warfare and a sign of the country's fear of Iran. "They are not worthy of a response," he said.
The ambassador made a public appearance at the funeral of former Lebanese Prime Minister Khalil al-Huss, who died at age 94 in Beirut.
In his post, Amaani praised al-Huss for his "courageous, historic and smart positions" and his opposition to Israel, saying that al-Huss played a significant role in Israel's military withdrawal from South Lebanon in 2000.