BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Saturday that he will not accept Iran-backed Hezbollah’s positions that “affect our Arab brothers or targets the security and stability of their countries,” a statement from his press office said.
Hariri announced his resignation from his post on Nov. 4 in a televised statement from Saudi Arabia.
After returning to Lebanon this week, he shelved the decision on Wednesday at the request of President Michel Aoun.
On Saturday, he said that his decision to wait instead of officially resigning is to give a chance to discuss and look into demands that will make Lebanon neutral and allow it to enforce its “disassociation” policy.
“Disassociation” is widely understood in Lebanon to mean its policy of staying out of regional conflicts. The regional role played by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah political and military movement has greatly alarmed Saudi Arabia, Hariri’s long-time ally.
Lebanon’s Hariri: Hezbollah positions affecting Arab allies are unacceptable
Lebanon’s Hariri: Hezbollah positions affecting Arab allies are unacceptable
Qatar says attacks on region’s energy facilities have global repercussions
- Qatar foreign ministry spokesperson said attacks on energy facilities are a dangerous precedent that will cause economic loss in the region and as well as global repercussion
DOHA: Qatar warned on Tuesday that attacks on regional energy infrastructure during the Middle East war would be felt economically throughout the world.
“The attacks on energy facilities that have happened, also on both sides, are a dangerous precedent... it will cause repercussions throughout the world,” foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said.
Iran has pressed its attacks against Qatar's infrastructure, he said.
“The targeting of civilian infrastructure continues... and we rebuke any justification that the Iranians are offering for these attacks,” al-Ansari said.
On Iran, the foreign ministry spokesperson said the Iranian president's statement of apology has not been translated into action, after cities in Bahrain and the UAE were hit by Iranian missiles.
