Araqchi to visit Beirut after Lebanese foreign minister declines trip to Tehran

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, said on Thursday he would travel to Beirut for talks after receiving a formal invitation from his Lebanese counterpart, who a day earlier had declined to visit Tehran for direct talks.



On Wednesday, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji said "current conditions" prevented him from travelling to Tehran, but stressed that the move did not mean rejection of dialogue with Iran.



Raji told Reuters late on Wednesday that he had invited Araqchi "in a formal diplomatic letter to come to Beirut to hold talks."



Araqchi said on X that he would "gladly accept the invitation to come to Beirut," although he said he found Raji's position "bemusing." He said foreign ministers of countries with "full diplomatic relations" did not need a neutral venue to meet.