'Hariri's speech repetition of Saudi Iranophobic rhetoric'

Developments in the Middle East have taken a new turn with the announcement of a resignation. Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri has raised eyebrows with the sudden announcement that was made from Saudi Arabia rather than his home country. There has been speculation about the timing, venue and motive of the pronouncement. Following is a synopsis of an interview Press TV has conducted with Ali Rizk, a political analyst, and Nabil Mikhail, a professor of George Washington University, about Hariri’s latest political stunt.

Ali Rizk maintains that Hariri’s resignation while being in Saudi Arabia was an unprecedented measure by a high-ranking Lebanese official which truly shows the extent of Riyadh’s influence over the Lebanese politics. 

Delivering a televised statement on Saturday, Hariri cited many reasons, including the security situation in Lebanon, for his decision. He also accused Iran and the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah of meddling in Arab countries’ affairs -- an allegation the two sides have repeatedly denied.  

“This is a Saudi Arabian-Trump agenda. We shouldn’t forget the Trump administration. In Hariri’s speech, when he announced [his] resignation, there was no reference to Lebanon. It was all Iran, Iran, Iran,” Rizk noted.

“So, it was the very same Iranophobic language which we are accustomed to hear from Saudi Arabia and also from the Trump administration. So, it was not only from Saudi Arabia, but the language was also Saudi Arabian when it comes to hostility towards Iran. Unfortunately this shows that this man [Hariri] is under the control of a foreign country,” the analyst observed.

The other panelist Nabil Mikhail agreed that Hariri has strong ties to Saudi Arabia and pointed out to his father Rafiq Hariri’s business dealings with the Arab monarchy.

However, he opined that Hariri’s announcement of resignation from Saudi Arabia conveyed had a clear message of defiance against the position of Sunni Muslims in Syria and Lebanon.

“What is really interesting for me is the future of the Lebanese government after the resignation of Saad al-Hariri. As you know, Lebanon is a denominational democracy [in which] a confessional form of representation dominates the government. So, I would assume that the Sunni Muslims will nominate someone who will be approved as prime minister,” he added.

What is more important, Mikhail continued, is how the new Lebanese government would deal with the changes occurring in Syria, Turkey, and Iraq.

“I believe the new Lebanese government will… accept a bigger role for Russia in Syria. I don’t know whether Hariri was ready for such an option or not, but I think this should be perhaps the orientation of the new government of Lebanon,” in preparation for how the situation in a post-war Syria will impact Lebanon, he noted.

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