Lebanon Orders IRGC Arrest and Deportation, Revokes Iranian Visa-Free Entry

Lebanon’s cabinet escalated its response to Iran’s military presence by ordering the active pursuit, arrest, and deportation of IRGC members operating on Lebanese territory. Additionally, the cabinet revoked visa-free entry privileges for Iranian nationals — a measure that cuts beyond military personnel to the broader diplomatic and civilian Iranian presence in Lebanon.

According to reporting from the Jerusalem Post citing Al Arabiya, IRGC members had been operating from the Iranian embassy in Beirut. A small contingent of Quds Force personnel has reportedly stayed behind to maintain minimal presence, but several dozen officers fled in the preceding 48 hours.

The escalation follows a clear progression:

1. Ban on IRGC activity (March 5, earlier in the day)
2. Arrest and deportation order for IRGC members
3. Visa-free entry revocation for all Iranian nationals
4. Ban on Hezbollah military operations (separate but concurrent action)

Together, these measures represent the most comprehensive Lebanese government action against Iran’s military and intelligence infrastructure since the establishment of Hezbollah in the 1980s. The visa revocation in particular signals a rupture that extends beyond the military dimension into the broader diplomatic relationship.

The Lebanese government is effectively dismantling four decades of Iranian security architecture in a matter of days, driven by Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory and the political calculation that maintaining Iranian military ties has become an existential risk to Lebanese sovereignty.