lebanon pm says free in saudi and will return home soon
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

In an interview from Riyadh

Lebanon PM says free in Saudi and will return home 'soon'

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Lebanon PM says free in Saudi and will return home 'soon'

Lebanese watch an interview with resigned prime minister Saad Hariri at a coffee shop in Beirut
Beirut - Al Maghrib Today

Saad Hariri, whose resignation as Lebanon's prime minister a week ago sent shockwaves across the region, said Sunday he is "free" in Saudi Arabia and will return to Lebanon "very soon".

In an interview from Riyadh with his party's Future TV, Hariri brushed aside rumours that he was under de facto house arrest in the kingdom, from which he announced his surprise departure.

"I am free here. If I want to travel tomorrow, I will," Hariri said.

"I will return to Lebanon very soon," Hariri said, adding later that he would land in Beirut "in two or three days".

Hariri, 47, announced he was stepping down from his post in a televised address on November 4 from Riyadh, and has yet to return to his native Lebanon.

However, Lebanese President Michel Aoun has yet to formally accept his resignation and said the premier has been "restricted" in his movements.

Hariri's surprise resignation came as tensions rise between Riyadh and Tehran, which back opposing sides in power struggles from Lebanon and Syria to Yemen.

At the time, Hariri accused Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah of taking over his country and destabilising the broader region.

"We cannot continue in Lebanon in a situation where Iran interferes in all Arab countries, and that there's a political faction that interferes alongside it," he repeated on Sunday in apparent reference to rival movement Hezbollah.

"Maybe there's a regional conflict between Arab countries and Iran. We're a small country. Why put ourselves in the middle?"

As tensions heated up, the Arab League said it would hold an extraordinary meeting next Sunday at the request of Saudi Arabia to discuss "violations" by Iran in the region, according to a document shown to AFP by diplomats on Sunday.

- 'Rescind resignation' -

Wearing a suit and tie and with a Lebanese flag in the background, the former premier looked tired on Sunday and spoke softly but firmly throughout the interview.

Hariri, who also holds Saudi citizenship, told journalist Paula Yaacoubian that he wrote his resignation himself and wanted to submit it in Lebanon, "but there was danger".

He also appeared to lay down an exit strategy, saying he would be willing to "rescind the resignation" if intervention in regional conflicts stopped.

"We need to respect the disassociation policy," Hariri said, referring to an agreement among Lebanese political factions that they would not interfere in Syria's six-year war.

He appeared to be alluding to Hezbollah's military intervention on behalf of the Syrian government, to which Hariri is opposed.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said Friday that Hariri was "detained in Saudi Arabia, he is banned from returning to Lebanon".

- 'Excellent' ties with Saudi -

Hariri has spent the past week in a string of meetings with diplomats and Saudi officials in Riyadh, including an encounter with Saudi King Salman.

He left the kingdom once for a trip to Abu Dhabi.

In his interview on Sunday, Hariri said he has "excellent" ties with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in an apparent effort to put to rest rumours that the Saudi crown prince had pressured him to step down.

"Really, I consider him a brother and he considers me a brother. It's an excellent and special relationship," he said.

But he refused to comment on the internal political turmoil in Saudi Arabia, where dozens of high-profile politicians and businessmen have been arrested in what authorities say is an anti-graft drive.

The two-time premier's father Rafik made his fortune in Saudi Arabia and also served as premier for years before he was assassinated in 2005.

Saad cited fears for his life when he resigned from his post last week, less than a year after his unity government was formed with Hezbollah.

Lebanese have expressed concern that the move could thrust the country into a political and economic tailspin, as it remains unclear who could replace Hariri.

Western countries moved quickly to express their support for the premier, with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson calling him a "strong partner".

Tillerson warned against any party "using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country".

Source: AFP

almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

lebanon pm says free in saudi and will return home soon lebanon pm says free in saudi and will return home soon

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

lebanon pm says free in saudi and will return home soon lebanon pm says free in saudi and will return home soon

 



Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 09:22 2018 Monday ,22 January

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Modern colorful bedroom renovation

GMT 10:57 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Modern colorful bedroom renovation
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president

GMT 13:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Turkey detains dozens more
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today The Rake announces editorial updates

GMT 10:46 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

The Rake announces editorial updates
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Europe brings on charm and blue skies

GMT 11:51 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Europe brings on charm and blue skies
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today For the Variety of Interior Design Styles

GMT 10:46 2017 Tuesday ,19 December

For the Variety of Interior Design Styles
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today US Christian tourists see deep meaning

GMT 13:44 2018 Monday ,22 January

US Christian tourists see deep meaning
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Amazon to open first cashierless shop

GMT 10:03 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Amazon to open first cashierless shop

GMT 10:38 2017 Saturday ,23 December

German consumers to start new year in high spirits

GMT 13:56 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Thick smog keeps schools closed

GMT 18:35 2017 Tuesday ,14 November

French skier Poisson dies in training crash

GMT 09:55 2017 Friday ,27 October

Russia conducts ballistic missile tests

GMT 15:53 2011 Thursday ,10 November

Ferrari: green is the new red

GMT 21:22 2017 Saturday ,25 March

Consumer Protection Agency bans Uber ad campaign

GMT 01:44 2012 Sunday ,01 January

Abdou Benziane passes away

GMT 10:10 2017 Friday ,13 October

US Air Force woman trailblazer to guide

GMT 12:22 2013 Monday ,03 June

Moroccan spicy soup

GMT 07:27 2017 Saturday ,04 March

Nesreen Amin is dancer in “Faisal Apartment”

GMT 06:18 2017 Sunday ,12 February

Twitter struggles to turn headlines into cash

GMT 09:27 2017 Wednesday ,25 January

Berlin now 'home sweet home' for Syrian pastry chefs

GMT 19:37 2012 Thursday ,15 March

The sleeping beauty

GMT 11:00 2016 Sunday ,21 February

Flowerpot chocolate chip muffins

GMT 08:02 2011 Saturday ,04 June

\'I never liked my eldest daughter\'

GMT 11:14 2017 Thursday ,07 September

Hurricane Harvey caused 'broad disruptions

GMT 12:00 2011 Friday ,23 December

ePillow for the iPad

GMT 19:13 2016 Monday ,07 March

Chinese drama 'Wu Zetian' staged in New York
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
 
 Almaghrib Today Facebook,almaghrib today facebook  Almaghrib Today Twitter,almaghrib today twitter Almaghrib Today Rss,almaghrib today rss  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

.almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday almaghribtoday almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday