Saad Hariri's First Visit to Riyadh After November's Crisis Resignation

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday, March 1, for talks with Saudi leaders. This is Hariri's first visit to Riyadh since his sudden resignation during a trip to Saudi Arabia in November, which caused a major political crisis. At that time, Lebanese officials stated that the Saudi government forced Saad Hariri to resign and placed him under house arrest due to his tolerance of Hezbollah. Following French intervention, Hariri returned to Beirut and rescinded his resignation. However, these events underscored the fragility of Lebanon's politics and concerns about the country becoming another frontline in the Saudi-Iran rivalry. Hariri traveled to Riyadh at the invitation of King Salman, who sent a message through a Saudi envoy in Beirut on Monday. The Saudi state news agency reported that Hariri and King Salman discussed the relations between the two countries. Images of the meeting and the two leaders drinking coffee were released. Hariri became Prime Minister of Lebanon in a political agreement in 2016 that led to Michel Aoun, an ally of Hezbollah, becoming President. A source close to Saad Hariri stated, 'It is clear that the file of Lebanon has changed in Saudi Arabia. They told Saad Hariri that because he is part of an agreement that has Michel Aoun as President and Hezbollah in the government, he must resign.' The source added, 'They (Saudi Arabia) have reconsidered their calculations regarding Lebanese politics and believe that if Saad Hariri does not fight Hezbollah, he is a useless politician.' Western officials have privately criticized Saudi Arabia's actions against Hariri, believing that Riyadh's policy will destabilize Lebanon, which currently hosts 1.5 million Syrian refugees. The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the Saudi Crown Prince complained of unfair treatment regarding the Saad Hariri affair. Mohammed bin Salman told the newspaper, 'Now he (Hariri) is in a better position.' Saudi Arabia accuses Hezbollah of waging war on behalf of Iran in Arab countries, particularly Yemen, which has special security sensitivities given its proximity to Saudi Arabia. Lebanon announced a policy of 'non-intervention' in 2012 to keep the fragile government away from military conflicts in the region, especially the Syrian civil war.