Saudi denies Macron’s remarks on detaining Lebanon PM

By Mohamed Fahd

RIYADH (AA) - Saudi Arabia on Tuesday denied French President Emmanuel Macron’s statements about holding Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri against his will last year.

In an interview with BFM TV last week, Macron hailed French diplomacy for maintaining peace in Lebanon.

“If France wasn’t listened to then, there probably would be a war in Lebanon at this moment, as we speak. It’s French diplomacy, it’s our action,” Macron said. “I remind you that a prime minister was held in Saudi Arabia for several weeks.”

But an official source at the Saudi Foreign Ministry described Macron’s remarks as “untrue”.

In a statement carried by the official SPA news agency, the source said the kingdom continues to support security and stability in Lebanon and “support Prime Minister Hariri by all means”.

The source accused Iran and its allies of dragging Lebanon and the region into instability, citing Shia group Hezbollah’s alleged involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri and killing French nationals in Lebanon.

“The kingdom is looking forward to working with French President Macron to confront the forces of chaos and destruction in the region, topped by Iran and its proxies,” the source said.

On November 4, Hariri abruptly announced his resignation in a televised address from Saudi Arabia, hinting at an assassination plot against him. A week later, Macron visited Saudi Arabia, after which Hariri left Riyadh to Paris before returning back to Lebanon.