Beirut (CNN)Lebanon’s government believes Saudi Arabia is restricting the movement and communications of its Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a high-level ministerial source told CNN on Friday. The source said Hariri “isn’t expressing himself freely” with the Lebanese government and that his own political bloc — which is usually aligned with Saudi interests — had “no idea what’s going on.” Speculation has swirled this week that Saudi Arabia is holding Hariri against his will after he said he was resigning in a televised address from the Saudi capital Riyadh, last Saturday. The remarks are likely to further rattle officials in Riyadh, who have denied forcing Hariri to resign or placing him under house arrest. Hariri holds dual Lebanese-Saudi citizenship and has a residence in Riyadh.
Hariri’s office said he had received the Italian and Russian ambassadors to Saudi Arabia in his Riyadh residence on Friday, after questions were raised over his whereabouts. Hariri’s sudden departure has plunged Lebanon into a political crisis and stoked fears of a conflict, either with Saudi Arabia, which is increasingly agitated by Iran’s ascendancy in the region, or Israel, which shares Saudi’s fears about Iran even if it does not support Riyadh in public.
Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia has a centuries-old rivalry with Shia-led Iran, and Lebanon is fast becoming the new setting for a proxy conflict between the two Middle Eastern powers. Hariri’s Future Movement party had earlier demanded its leader’s safe return, saying it was “necessary to restore consideration and respect” to Lebanon. Lebanese President Michel Aoun also demanded Hariri’s return in a meeting with Saudi charge d’affaires Walid Bukhari on Friday, the official Lebanese National News Agency reported. “The way in which Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned was unacceptable,” he said. He added he would not accept Hariri’s resignation until he returns.
Hariri’s shock resignation Saturday has left many questions unanswered, and diplomats have tried to seek answers from Riyadh. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he had spoken to Foreign Minister al-Jubeir, who assured him Thursday that Hariri had himself made the decided to resign. Tillerson on Friday warned against foreign elements intervening in Lebanon’s affairs, adding Hariri was “a strong partner of the United States.” “The United States supports the stability of Lebanon and is opposed to any actions that could threaten that stability. There is no legitimate place or role in Lebanon for any foreign forces, militias or armed elements other than the legitimate security forces of the Lebanese state — which must be recognized as the sole authority for security in Lebanon. “The United States cautions against any party, within or outside Lebanon, using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country.” US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told journalists on Thursday that the US charge d’affaires to Saudi Arabia, Chris Henzel, had met Hariri on Wednesday. When asked what conditions he was being held in, she said: “I would have to refer you to the government of Saudi Arabia and also to Mr. Hariri’s office.” French President Emmanuel Macron made an unscheduled trip to Riyadh on Thursday night and met with Saudi officials. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Macron was invited by the Saudis, and that France believed Hariri had freedom of movement. He pointed out that Hariri had been able to travel to Abu Dhabi recently. CNN’s Ghazi Balkiz contributed to this report.
by reuters – Aoun told Saudi Arabia’s envoy on Friday that Hariri must return to Lebanon and the circumstances surrounding his resignation as prime minister while in Saudi Arabia were unacceptable, presidential sources said. An “international support group” of countries concerned about Lebanon, which includes the United States, Russia and France, appealed for Lebanon “to continue to be shielded from tensions in the region”. In a statement, they also welcomed Aoun’s call for Hariri to return.
Top Druze politician Walid Jumblatt said it was time Hariri came back after a week of absence “be it forced or voluntary”.Jumblatt said on Twitter there was no alternative to Hariri. In comments to Reuters, Jumblatt said Lebanon did not deserve to be accused of declaring war on Saudi Arabia. “For decades we’ve been friends,” he said.m“We are a country that is squeezed between two antagonistic interests, between Saudi Arabia and Iran,” he said. “The majority of Lebanese are just paying the price … Lebanon can not afford to declare a war against anybody.”
Former Lebanese prime minister does not appear to be a prisoner in Saudi Arabia, say France and US
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“As you probably know [Hariri] is a dual citizen of Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. His family has been living in Saudi Arabia for quite some time by his choice, so the foreign minister assured me this was a decision taken solely by him,” Mr Tillerson said. He called for Mr Hariri to return to Beirut “so that the government of Lebanon can function properly” The French ambassador to Saudi Arabia met with Mr Hariri on Thursday, ahead of Mr Macron’s unscheduled visit. It was not clear if Mr Macron himself had any contact with the Lebanese politician. Paris has close ties with Lebanon, a former colony, and with Mr Hariri, who has a home in France after spending several years in the country. “Our concern is the stability of Lebanon and that a political solution can be put in place rapidly,” Mr Macron said. Mr Hariri has met with Western diplomats since announcing his resignation on Saturday but has not been in contact with journalists nor many of his own closest advisors.
His own political party, the Future Movement, issued a statement suggesting he was being held against his will and saying his return to Lebanon was “necessary to restore the dignity and respect to Lebanon at home and abroad”. While Mr Macron’s two-hour visit to Riyadh was focused on the political crisis in Lebanon and the broader Middle East, it is also part the French leader’s broader effort to try to preserve Iran nuclear deal, which President Donald Trump is trying to renegotiate or potentially scrap. He warned ahead of his trip that scrapping the deal would push Iran towards developing nuclear weapons. “If you stop the 2015 agreement, what’s your other option? To launch war? To attack Iran? I think it would be crazy in the region,” he said. Mr Macron called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreed in July 2015 between Iran and six powers, including France and the United States, “the best possible deal regarding Iran.” Mr Le Drian is due to visit Saudi Arabia next week and Iran shortly afterwards in an effort to try to ease the tensions which have inflamed the region and to shore up support for the nuclear agreement.
