Mohammad Reza Raouf Sheibani
Mohammad Reza Raouf Sheibani (Persian: محمدرضا رؤوف شیبانی) is a long time diplomat and former senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran. He has served as an Iranian ambassador to several countries around the Middle East and Europe, mainly positioned in Syria, where he was appointed in 2025 as Iran's special envoy for Syrian affairs. In early 2026, he was appointed as Iran's ambassador to Lebanon.
Early life and education
According to sources, Sheibani, joined Iran's diplomatic service and rose through the ranks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, specializing in Middle Eastern and regional diplomacy.
Diplomatic career
Sheibani has had a long career as a diplomat for Iran. He served as ambassador to Cyprus from 1991 to 1995, Egypt from 2004 to 2005, Lebanon from 2005 to 2009, and Syria from 2011 to 2016.[1] He also worked as Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister from 2009 to 2011, helping to shape regional policy and diplomatic plans.[2] After finishing his ambassador roles, he continued working on foreign policy as an adviser and academic, including work with the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), which is part of Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[3][4] In January 2026 he was appointed as Iran's ambassador to Lebanon.[5]
See also
References
- ^ "الذاكرة السورية | الشخصيات | محمد رضا رؤوف شيباني". الذاكرة السورية (in Arabic). Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ "Iran opposes any external intervention in Syria: Diplomat". Mehr News Agency. 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ "Iran to regulate ties with any Syrian gov't chosen by people". Mehr News Agency. 2025-01-13. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ "Iran received messages from Damascus". Mehr News Agency. 2025-02-15. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ "Lebanon is increasingly apprehensive and wary of its upcoming challenges... Escalation continues in the south". 2026.