Emerging after shock resignation, Lebanon's Hariri says he will return 'soon'
- by Thibaud Popelin
- in Monde
- — Nov 14, 2017
"My resignation came as a wake-up call for Lebanon", he said. In the previous days, Many reports talked about the circumstances which surrounded Hariri's resignation, with Reuters news agency quoted an official close to Hariri as saying that the Lebanese PM was forced to resign and has been under house arrest since his arrival to Riyadh on November 3.
The Iranian spokesperson further underlined that Tehran's principled policy is non-interference in the internal affairs of others.
Hariri announced his resignation on November 4, citing several reasons, including the security situation in Lebanon, for his sudden decision.
Asked by reporters about Iran's reaction to Saudi Arabia's possible provocative moves against Lebanon, Qassemi said, "We can not speak on the basis of assumptions".
"We can not 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. "Why put ourselves in the middle?" Hezbollah has sent thousands of fighters to Syria, Lebanon's neighbor, to support the forces of Syria's President Bashar Assad. Tillerson's backing of Hariri and the Lebanese government contrasted sharply with the approach taken by Saudi Arabia, which has lumped Lebanon with Hezbollah as parties hostile to it.
"We are in the eye of the storm", he said.
El-Rai and Saudi Charge d'Affaires Walid al-Bukhari said the kingdom is not likely to deport Lebanese citizens as punishment for the participation of the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanese politics.
On Friday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah claimed that Hariri was being held against his will by Saudi Arabia, which is not allowing him to return to Lebanon.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun (C) and Jordan's King Abdullah II (unseen) review the honor guard during an official welcome ceremony at Marka airport in Amman on February 14, 2017.
Next to Saad Hariri was a photograph of the man they alleged to be his captor: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Meanwhile, in a statement released by Aoun's office on Saturday, the Lebanese president expressed concern over Hariri's situation and said the premier was living in a "dubious" situation in Saudi Arabia.
At times it was evident Hariri was holding back tears in the interview, which went on for over an hour. "It's an excellent and special relationship", he said.
