Bassil Says 'Lebanon is Not Hizbullah', Tells Saudi Its Problem is with Iran

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil stressed Wednesday that Saudi Arabia should not act against entire Lebanon if it has a problem with Hizbullah or Iran.

“Our premier is not Hizbullah and I'm not Hizbullah, and if Saudi Arabia has a problem with Iran, let it resolve it with Iran, not with Lebanon and the Lebanese,” said Bassil during a meeting in Rome with his Italian counterpart Angelino Alfano.

Bassil, however, noted that Lebanon is still seeking to resolve the latest crisis with Riyadh in a “bilateral” manner and that resorting to international law would be the last option.

“Our objective is to resolve the crisis bilaterally in order to restore the normal situation,” Bassil, who started a Europe tour on Tuesday to explain Lebanon's position, told reporters.

He said it is “abnormal” for Lebanon's prime minister to be in an “ambiguous” situation despite his announcement that he will return home.

“There is no reason that explains his failure to return to Lebanon and international conventions guarantee his freedom of movement and this is a sovereign matter,” Bassil added.

“To overcome this dilemma, let our premier return to his country to express his opinion freely,” the FM went on to say.

“Certainly, we will only resort to dialogue to resolve our problems, but we reject interference in our affairs and we reject dictations. Let us end ambiguity through the return of our premier to Lebanon. We also reject any interference by Lebanon or the Lebanese in the affairs of other countries,” Bassil said.

He also denied receiving a phone a call from Hariri after reports said the premier had called Bassil to ask him to stop raising the issue of his family's freedom of movement in Saudi Arabia.

Bassil later held talks in Rome with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, who was in the kingdom on Tuesday.

After talks with Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Hariri, al-Rahi said he was "convinced by the reasons for his (Hariri's) resignation." "He will return to Lebanon as soon as possible," al-Rahi promised.

Hariri has tweeted earlier that he is “doing very well” and that he will return from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon within days.

In his first TV interview since he announced a surprise resignation from Riyadh on November 4, Hariri said Sunday he will return to Lebanon to seek a new settlement with President Michel Aoun and Iran-backed Hizbullah.

Hariri, looking downcast and tired, denied he was being held against his will in the kingdom and said he was compelled to resign to save Lebanon from imminent dangers, which he didn't specify.

He held back tears at one point and repeated several times that he resigned to create a "positive shock" and draw attention to the danger of siding with Iran in regional conflicts.

A political crisis has gripped Lebanon since Hariri read a televised resignation from Saudi Arabia in which he accused Iran of meddling in Lebanon in a vicious tirade that was uncharacteristic of the usually soft-spoken premier.

Aoun and other Lebanese officials have refused to accept Hariri's resignation until he returns to the country.