Lebanon's President Michel Aoun has said that he is now vacating the Presidential Palace with no successor having been chosen to replace him. This decision taken by the President has come just a day before his mandate was set to expire.

Six-year long term of Lebanon's President Michel Aoun ends

Lebanon's prime&nbsp;minister-designate Mustapha Adib recused himself from forming a new cabinet on Saturday as he struggled to get various factions together amid international pressure to form a government, over a month after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/beirut-blast-protest-lebanese-protesters-march-to-presidential-palace-327217">Beirut </a>blasts.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/arms-depot-of-hezbollah-explodes-in-lebanon-several-injured-329556">Also Read: Arms depot of Hezbollah explodes in Lebanon, several injured</a>

"I excuse myself from continuing the task of forming the government," Mustapha Adib said in a televised speech.

Mustapha Adib added that he was stepping down from "the task of forming the government" after meeting President Michel Aoun.&nbsp;

Adib's decision comes after he reportedly failed to get support in a power-sharing structure with Iran-backed Hezbollah and its ally Amal over the finance ministry portfolio.

Lebanon's President Michel Aoun had said earlier that the country would go "to hell" if it doesn't name a cabinet. French President Macron had set a two-week deadline for the government formation which passed last week.

France had drawn up a detailed roadmap for the new cabinet. Macron had visited Beirut after the blasts on August 4 and said later that "if your political class fails, then we will not come to Lebanon's aid."

The Lebanon government had earlier declared a compensation programme for homes and businesses which were devastated by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beirut-fire-could-be-due-to-sabotage-ignorance-or-negligence-president-aoun-326586">Beirut </a>port blast in which at least 180 people were killed and several hundred injured.

President Michel Aoun signed a decree allocating over $66 million for the relief package even as just days after the blast the international community pledged around $300 million in emergency aid.

Lebanon's prime minister-designate Mustapha Adib recused himself from forming a new cabinet on Saturday as he struggled to get various factions together amid international pressure to form a government, over a month after the Beirut blasts.

Lebanon's prime minister-designate Mustapha Adib recused himself from forming a new cabinet on Saturday as he struggled to get various factions together amid international pressure to form a government, over a month after the Beirut blasts. Also Read: Arms depot of Hezbollah explodes in Lebanon, several injured "I excuse myself from continuing the task of forming the government," Mustapha Adib said in a televised speech. Mustapha Adib added that he was stepping down from "the task of forming the government" after meeting President Michel Aoun. Adib's decision comes after he reportedly failed to get support in a power-sharing structure with Iran-backed Hezbollah and its ally Amal over the finance ministry portfolio. Lebanon's President Michel Aoun had said earlier that the country would go "to hell" if it doesn't name a cabinet. French President Macron had set a two-week deadline for the government formation which passed last week. France had drawn up a detailed roadmap for the new cabinet. Macron had visited Beirut after the blasts on August 4 and said later that "if your political class fails, then we will not come to Lebanon's aid." The Lebanon government had earlier declared a compensation programme for homes and businesses which were devastated by the Beirut port blast in which at least 180 people were killed and several hundred injured. President Michel Aoun signed a decree allocating over $66 million for the relief package even as just days after the blast the international community pledged around $300 million in emergency aid.

Lebanon's PM-designate Mustapha Adib pulls out of government formation

Lebanese protesters demanding the overthrow of their country's elite poured onto the streets on Sunday (November 3) in the largest numbers since the government was toppled and hours after opposing supporters of President Michel Aoun staged a big rally.

Lebanese protesters wave flags, raise fortitude

President Michel Aoun held talks on Monday with other Lebanese political leaders over the future of Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri&#39;s government but gave no sign whether they discussed Hariri&#39;s demand the country steer clear of regional turmoil.

Aoun&#39;s office said the talks were positive and constructive but did not detail steps to address the demands Hariri made after postponing his shock resignation, notably that Lebanese stick by the state policy of staying out of regional conflicts - a reference to Iran-backed Shi&#39;ite group Hezbollah.

The consultations would continue once Aoun returns on Friday from an official visit to Italy, the statement said.

A senior Lebanese official said the consultations at the presidential palace in Baabda aimed to help Hariri&#39;s government &quot;get back on its feet&quot;, after weeks of political instability triggered by Hariri&#39;s Nov. 4 resignation, announced in Riyadh.

Lebanese officials say Saudi Arabia forced Hariri to resign and held him against his will, triggering an intervention by France which led to his return to Beirut last week.

Riyadh says Hariri, Lebanon&#39;s top Sunni Muslim politician and a long-time Saudi ally, resigned freely and denies holding him.

In his resignation speech, Hariri strongly criticised Iran and its heavily armed Lebanese Shi&#39;ite Muslim ally Hezbollah for meddling in the Arab world. Since returning to Beirut, Hariri has said all Lebanese must stick by the state policy of &quot;disassociation&quot;, or keeping out of regional conflicts - a reference to Hezbollah.

Leading Druze politician Walid Jumblatt, an influential figure in Lebanon, said after meeting Aoun that it was important to talk about &quot;disassociation&quot;, and how to achieve it.

He said it would be wise not to bring up the question of Hezbollah&#39;s weapons in discussions, referring to previous rounds of futile talks on this point.

The senior Lebanese official said the &quot;consultations might end with Lebanon reaffirming the ministerial statement that implicitly includes disassociation&quot;. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as Aoun&#39;s consultations were not over.

Hariri said on Saturday he would not accept &quot;Hezbollah stances that affect our Arab brothers or target the security and stability of their countries&quot;.

President Michel Aoun held talks on Monday with other Lebanese political leaders over the future of Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri's government but gave no sign whether they discussed Hariri's demand the country steer clear of regional turmoil.

President Michel Aoun held talks on Monday with other Lebanese political leaders over the future of Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri's government but gave no sign whether they discussed Hariri's demand the country steer clear of regional turmoil. Aoun's office said the talks were positive and constructive but did not detail steps to address the demands Hariri made after postponing his shock resignation, notably that Lebanese stick by the state policy of staying out of regional conflicts - a reference to Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah. The consultations would continue once Aoun returns on Friday from an official visit to Italy, the statement said. A senior Lebanese official said the consultations at the presidential palace in Baabda aimed to help Hariri's government "get back on its feet", after weeks of political instability triggered by Hariri's Nov. 4 resignation, announced in Riyadh. Lebanese officials say Saudi Arabia forced Hariri to resign and held him against his will, triggering an intervention by France which led to his return to Beirut last week. Riyadh says Hariri, Lebanon's top Sunni Muslim politician and a long-time Saudi ally, resigned freely and denies holding him. In his resignation speech, Hariri strongly criticised Iran and its heavily armed Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim ally Hezbollah for meddling in the Arab world. Since returning to Beirut, Hariri has said all Lebanese must stick by the state policy of "disassociation", or keeping out of regional conflicts - a reference to Hezbollah. Leading Druze politician Walid Jumblatt, an influential figure in Lebanon, said after meeting Aoun that it was important to talk about "disassociation", and how to achieve it. He said it would be wise not to bring up the question of Hezbollah's weapons in discussions, referring to previous rounds of futile talks on this point. The senior Lebanese official said the "consultations might end with Lebanon reaffirming the ministerial statement that implicitly includes disassociation". The official spoke on condition of anonymity as Aoun's consultations were not over. Hariri said on Saturday he would not accept "Hezbollah stances that affect our Arab brothers or target the security and stability of their countries".

Lebanon's Aoun holds talks on Hariri government

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, back in Beirut after a mysterious odyssey that saw him announce his resignation in Saudi Arabia, told cheering supporters on Wednesday that he was staying.

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<h5>&quot;I`m staying with you... we`re continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability,&quot; said Hariri</h5>
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&quot;I&#39;m staying with you... we&#39;re continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability,&quot; he told a large crowd gathered in front of his home.

Saad Hariri said he had agreed to suspend his surprise decision to resign, at the request of President Michel Aoun, pending talks on the political situation.

The new decision came hours after the premier landed back in Lebanon for the first time since announcing his resignation in a statement from Saudi Arabia on November 4.

&quot;I discussed my resignation with the president of the republic who asked me to wait before submitting it... and allow for more consultations,&quot; Hariri told reporters after meeting Aoun.&nbsp;&quot;I agreed to this request.&quot;

Lebanon has been gripped by the political crisis precipitated by Hariri&#39;s resignation, including the question of whether the premier was being detained in Saudi Arabia, where he remained for two weeks after stepping down.

Aoun had refused to accept Hariri&#39;s resignation while the premier was still abroad, and even accused Riyadh of having &quot;detained&quot; the prime minister.

Hariri holds dual Saudi-Lebanese citizenship, and denied he was being held against his will by Riyadh, a close political ally, but accepted a French invitation to visit Paris, leaving the kingdom on November 18.

After stops in Egypt and Cyprus on Tuesday, he landed in Beirut close to midnight, and on Wednesday appeared at the country&#39;s Independence Day celebrations marking 74 years since the end of France&#39;s mandate in Lebanon.

He appeared relaxed, at times smiling and appearing to joke with those alongside him during the military parade to mark the national holiday.

In announcing his resignation, Hariri had said he feared for his life, invoking the 2005 assassination in Beirut of his father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri.

He also harshly criticised Saudi Arabia&#39;s arch-rival Iran, and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, saying they had taken over Lebanon and destabilised the region.

The resignation of the Sunni leader was seen as raising the temperature in a long-running rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran that has played out across the region.

In Lebanon, the political scene is deeply divided between Hariri&#39;s Saudi-backed bloc, and that led by the powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, which is backed by Iran.

Hariri&#39;s decision to suspend his resignation now opens the way for discussions on a possible resolution to the crisis.

He had already signalled that he could consider rescinding his resignation altogether if Hezbollah pledged to respect Lebanon&#39;s policy of &quot;disassociation&quot; from regional conflicts.

Hariri and his allies say the group, with Iranian support, has violated this policy by fighting in neighbouring Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government, as well as providing assistance to Huthi rebels battling Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

Hezbollah&#39;s chief Hassan Nasrallah has said the group still considers Hariri the country&#39;s prime minister and suggested it was open to talks, though whether any real compromise could be reached remained unclear.

&quot;When he comes, we will see. We&#39;re open to all dialogue and discussion,&quot; Nasrallah said on Monday.

If no deal is reached and Hariri&#39;s resignation stands, Aoun has two options - rename him premier or choose another prominent Sunni figure to lead a new cabinet. Under Lebanon`s power-sharing arrangement, the country&#39;s top political posts are reserved for different sects, with the presidency set aside for a Maronite Christian, the prime minister&#39;s office for a Sunni Muslim, and the parliament speaker for a Shiite Muslim.

Hariri&#39;s resignation comes less than a year after he took office, as part of a deal with Aoun, whose party belongs to the bloc led by Hezbollah.

The agreement ended a two-and-a-half year stalemate that left the post of president empty and put Hariri back in the office of prime minister for the second time.

His first term as prime minister ended abruptly.

In January 2011, as he was meeting then-US president Barack Obama in Washington, Hezbollah and its allies withdrew their ministers and brought down Hariri`s government.

Hariri&#39;s resignation has been seen as part of a broader pattern of escalating tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia. On the day he resigned, the kingdom said it intercepted a ballistic missile fired at Riyadh airport by Shiite rebels in Yemen.

The announcement also coincided with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers, and businessmen.

Saad Hariri said he had agreed to suspend his surprise decision to resign, at the request of President Michel Aoun, pending talks on the political situation

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, back in Beirut after a mysterious odyssey that saw him announce his resignation in Saudi Arabia, told cheering supporters on Wednesday that he was staying. "I`m staying with you... we`re continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability," said Hariri × "I'm staying with you... we're continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability," he told a large crowd gathered in front of his home. Saad Hariri said he had agreed to suspend his surprise decision to resign, at the request of President Michel Aoun, pending talks on the political situation. The new decision came hours after the premier landed back in Lebanon for the first time since announcing his resignation in a statement from Saudi Arabia on November 4. "I discussed my resignation with the president of the republic who asked me to wait before submitting it... and allow for more consultations," Hariri told reporters after meeting Aoun. "I agreed to this request." Lebanon has been gripped by the political crisis precipitated by Hariri's resignation, including the question of whether the premier was being detained in Saudi Arabia, where he remained for two weeks after stepping down. Aoun had refused to accept Hariri's resignation while the premier was still abroad, and even accused Riyadh of having "detained" the prime minister. Hariri holds dual Saudi-Lebanese citizenship, and denied he was being held against his will by Riyadh, a close political ally, but accepted a French invitation to visit Paris, leaving the kingdom on November 18. After stops in Egypt and Cyprus on Tuesday, he landed in Beirut close to midnight, and on Wednesday appeared at the country's Independence Day celebrations marking 74 years since the end of France's mandate in Lebanon. He appeared relaxed, at times smiling and appearing to joke with those alongside him during the military parade to mark the national holiday. In announcing his resignation, Hariri had said he feared for his life, invoking the 2005 assassination in Beirut of his father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri. He also harshly criticised Saudi Arabia's arch-rival Iran, and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, saying they had taken over Lebanon and destabilised the region. The resignation of the Sunni leader was seen as raising the temperature in a long-running rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran that has played out across the region. In Lebanon, the political scene is deeply divided between Hariri's Saudi-backed bloc, and that led by the powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, which is backed by Iran. Hariri's decision to suspend his resignation now opens the way for discussions on a possible resolution to the crisis. He had already signalled that he could consider rescinding his resignation altogether if Hezbollah pledged to respect Lebanon's policy of "disassociation" from regional conflicts. Hariri and his allies say the group, with Iranian support, has violated this policy by fighting in neighbouring Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad's government, as well as providing assistance to Huthi rebels battling Saudi Arabia in Yemen. Hezbollah's chief Hassan Nasrallah has said the group still considers Hariri the country's prime minister and suggested it was open to talks, though whether any real compromise could be reached remained unclear. "When he comes, we will see. We're open to all dialogue and discussion," Nasrallah said on Monday. If no deal is reached and Hariri's resignation stands, Aoun has two options - rename him premier or choose another prominent Sunni figure to lead a new cabinet. Under Lebanon`s power-sharing arrangement, the country's top political posts are reserved for different sects, with the presidency set aside for a Maronite Christian, the prime minister's office for a Sunni Muslim, and the parliament speaker for a Shiite Muslim. Hariri's resignation comes less than a year after he took office, as part of a deal with Aoun, whose party belongs to the bloc led by Hezbollah. The agreement ended a two-and-a-half year stalemate that left the post of president empty and put Hariri back in the office of prime minister for the second time. His first term as prime minister ended abruptly. In January 2011, as he was meeting then-US president Barack Obama in Washington, Hezbollah and its allies withdrew their ministers and brought down Hariri`s government. Hariri's resignation has been seen as part of a broader pattern of escalating tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia. On the day he resigned, the kingdom said it intercepted a ballistic missile fired at Riyadh airport by Shiite rebels in Yemen. The announcement also coincided with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers, and businessmen.

Lebanon's PM Hariri says resignation on hold pending talks

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is free to leave Riyadh &quot;when he pleases,&quot; the Saudi foreign minister said on Thursday, rejecting accusations from Beirut that the kingdom was &quot;detaining&quot; him.

Hariri, who announced his shock resignation from Saudi Arabia on November 4, is living in the kingdom &quot;of his own free will&quot; and free to leave &quot;when he pleases&quot;, Adel al-Jubeir told a press conference in Riyadh.

&quot;These are false allegations. The accusation that Saudi Arabia is detaining a prime minister, and particularly a political figure who is an ally... is untrue,&quot; Jubeir said.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun had accused Saudi Arabia on Wednesday of detaining Hariri after what he said was his failure to return home for 12 days.

But on Thursday, Aoun said the announcement that Hariri would travel to France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron could be &quot;the start of a solution&quot;.

Hariri meets French FM in Riyadh

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri met the French foreign minister in Riyadh on Thursday, the most senior Western official he has met publicly since his shock resignation announcement earlier this month.

The meeting came after Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that Hariri had accepted an invitation to visit France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron.

Asked when his visit would take place, Hariri replied: &quot;I would rather not answer that right now.&quot;&nbsp;

Le Drian&#39;s visit to Saudi Arabia has been dominated by the political crisis in Lebanon sparked by Hariri&#39;s resignation.

'These are false allegations. The accusation that Saudi Arabia is detaining a prime minister, and particularly a political figure who is an ally... is untrue,' Adel-al Jubeir said

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is free to leave Riyadh "when he pleases," the Saudi foreign minister said on Thursday, rejecting accusations from Beirut that the kingdom was "detaining" him. Hariri, who announced his shock resignation from Saudi Arabia on November 4, is living in the kingdom "of his own free will" and free to leave "when he pleases", Adel al-Jubeir told a press conference in Riyadh. "These are false allegations. The accusation that Saudi Arabia is detaining a prime minister, and particularly a political figure who is an ally... is untrue," Jubeir said. Lebanese President Michel Aoun had accused Saudi Arabia on Wednesday of detaining Hariri after what he said was his failure to return home for 12 days. But on Thursday, Aoun said the announcement that Hariri would travel to France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron could be "the start of a solution". Hariri meets French FM in Riyadh Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri met the French foreign minister in Riyadh on Thursday, the most senior Western official he has met publicly since his shock resignation announcement earlier this month. The meeting came after Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that Hariri had accepted an invitation to visit France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron. Asked when his visit would take place, Hariri replied: "I would rather not answer that right now." Le Drian's visit to Saudi Arabia has been dominated by the political crisis in Lebanon sparked by Hariri's resignation.

Hariri free to leave Riyadh 'when he pleases': Saudi FM

Lebanon`s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining prime minister Saad Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement`s arch-foe Israel to launch strikes.

Hariri`s sudden resignation on November 4 in a statement made from Riyadh took the Lebanese political class by surprise and has sparked international concern.

The United States warned against using the tiny country as a &quot;venue for proxy conflicts&quot; and the United Nations said it was &quot;essential no new conflict erupt in the region&quot;.

France called for Hariri to have &quot;all his freedom of movement&quot; amid rumours he was being held against his will.

&quot;The head of the Lebanese government is detained in Saudi Arabia, he is banned from returning to Lebanon until now,&quot; Nasrallah said in a televised address.

Hariri`s situation was not completely clear but calls, including from his Lebanese political rivals, mounted for Saudi Arabia to guarantee the premier`s freedom of movement.

The 47-year-old announced his resignation on November 4 in a surprise move that coincided with a sweeping purge of the Saudi kingdom`s elite, ostensibly over embezzlement accusations.

Hariri, who also holds Saudi nationality, did not say when he would return to Lebanon, where President Michel Aoun has yet to formally accept his resignation.

In a statement issued on Friday after a meeting with a senior Saudi diplomat, Aoun insisted Hariri should return to Lebanon.&quot;President Aoun met Saudi charge d`affaires Walid Bukhari and informed him that the circumstances in which Mr. Hariri`s resignation took place were unacceptable,&quot; the statement said.

The president &quot;called for the return to Lebanon of the head of the government&quot;.

Aoun, whose political ally Hezbollah is a fierce critic of Riyadh, &quot;voiced his concern over what is being said&quot; about Hariri`s current status in Saudi Arabia and demanded a &quot;clarification&quot;.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday described Hariri as &quot;a strong partner&quot; and warned against &quot;any party, within or outside Lebanon, using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country&quot;.

&quot;The United States strongly supports the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Lebanon and of its political institutions&quot; and opposes &quot;any actions that could threaten that stability,&quot; he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country has close ties with both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, made a surprise visit to Riyadh late Thursday after a trip to the United Arab Emirates.

On Friday, a spokesman for France`s foreign ministry said: &quot;We wish Mr. Saad Hariri to have all his freedom of movement and to be fully able to play the essential role that is his in Lebanon.&quot;&nbsp;

Earlier French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on French radio he thought Hariri was &quot;free to move around&quot;, despite most of the Lebanese political class implying he was de facto under house arrest.

&quot;He went to Abu Dhabi the day before President Macron`s visit (on Wednesday) so we think he`s free to move around,&quot; Le Drian said.

Nasrallah, whose party is the only organisation that did not disarm after the 1975-1990 civil war and now has an arsenal that outstrips Lebanon`s own armed forces, accused Saudi Arabia of seeking to incite conflict.

&quot;The most dangerous thing is inciting Israel to strike Lebanon,&quot; he said. &quot;I`m talking about information that Saudi Arabia has asked Israel to strike Lebanon.&quot;

Nasrallah, whose movement Hariri has repeatedly said should lay down its arms, also warned that his movement, which fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006, was stronger than ever.

&quot;We are stronger today, we warn them again misguided calculations, against any knee-jerk initiative,&quot; he said, adding however that his party saw any Israeli attack as being unlikely at this stage.

The UN chief, Antonio Guterres, also said: &quot;It is essential that no new conflict erupts in the region.&quot;

&quot;We are indeed very worried and we hope that we won`t see an escalation in the region that would have tragic consequences,&quot; he said.

Lebanon`s interior ministry said in a statement Friday that a Saudi national had been kidnapped in Lebanon in circumstances that remained unclear.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia had urged all its citizens in Lebanon this week to leave the country but Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk told AFP that the kidnapping was &quot;in no way related&quot; to the Hariri crisis or politics.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri had announced his resignation on November 4 from Riyadh

Lebanon`s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining prime minister Saad Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement`s arch-foe Israel to launch strikes. Hariri`s sudden resignation on November 4 in a statement made from Riyadh took the Lebanese political class by surprise and has sparked international concern. The United States warned against using the tiny country as a "venue for proxy conflicts" and the United Nations said it was "essential no new conflict erupt in the region". France called for Hariri to have "all his freedom of movement" amid rumours he was being held against his will. "The head of the Lebanese government is detained in Saudi Arabia, he is banned from returning to Lebanon until now," Nasrallah said in a televised address. Hariri`s situation was not completely clear but calls, including from his Lebanese political rivals, mounted for Saudi Arabia to guarantee the premier`s freedom of movement. The 47-year-old announced his resignation on November 4 in a surprise move that coincided with a sweeping purge of the Saudi kingdom`s elite, ostensibly over embezzlement accusations. Hariri, who also holds Saudi nationality, did not say when he would return to Lebanon, where President Michel Aoun has yet to formally accept his resignation. In a statement issued on Friday after a meeting with a senior Saudi diplomat, Aoun insisted Hariri should return to Lebanon."President Aoun met Saudi charge d`affaires Walid Bukhari and informed him that the circumstances in which Mr. Hariri`s resignation took place were unacceptable," the statement said. The president "called for the return to Lebanon of the head of the government". Aoun, whose political ally Hezbollah is a fierce critic of Riyadh, "voiced his concern over what is being said" about Hariri`s current status in Saudi Arabia and demanded a "clarification". US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday described Hariri as "a strong partner" and warned 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". "The United States strongly supports the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Lebanon and of its political institutions" and opposes "any actions that could threaten that stability," he said. French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country has close ties with both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, made a surprise visit to Riyadh late Thursday after a trip to the United Arab Emirates. On Friday, a spokesman for France`s foreign ministry said: "We wish Mr. Saad Hariri to have all his freedom of movement and to be fully able to play the essential role that is his in Lebanon." Earlier French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on French radio he thought Hariri was "free to move around", despite most of the Lebanese political class implying he was de facto under house arrest. "He went to Abu Dhabi the day before President Macron`s visit (on Wednesday) so we think he`s free to move around," Le Drian said. Nasrallah, whose party is the only organisation that did not disarm after the 1975-1990 civil war and now has an arsenal that outstrips Lebanon`s own armed forces, accused Saudi Arabia of seeking to incite conflict. "The most dangerous thing is inciting Israel to strike Lebanon," he said. "I`m talking about information that Saudi Arabia has asked Israel to strike Lebanon." Nasrallah, whose movement Hariri has repeatedly said should lay down its arms, also warned that his movement, which fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006, was stronger than ever. "We are stronger today, we warn them again misguided calculations, against any knee-jerk initiative," he said, adding however that his party saw any Israeli attack as being unlikely at this stage. The UN chief, Antonio Guterres, also said: "It is essential that no new conflict erupts in the region." "We are indeed very worried and we hope that we won`t see an escalation in the region that would have tragic consequences," he said. Lebanon`s interior ministry said in a statement Friday that a Saudi national had been kidnapped in Lebanon in circumstances that remained unclear. Saudi Arabia had urged all its citizens in Lebanon this week to leave the country but Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk told AFP that the kidnapping was "in no way related" to the Hariri crisis or politics.

Saudi Arabia holding Lebanon PM, inciting Israel to strike country: Hezbollah