Report: Aoun Mulls Talks with Ambassadors of Security Council, European and Arab Groups

President Michel Aoun is considering a meeting with the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the Security Council and ambassadors of the European Group and the Arab Group in the coming hours in the wake of Prime Minister Saad Hariri's resignation which stunned the Lebanese and left them hanging in uncertainty.

Circles close to the Presidential Palace told al-Joumhouria daily on Wednesday that Aoun is considering the move in order to brief the officials on the latest developments after the resignation.

However, Aoun may not take this step before exploring the outcome of a series of “outside contacts” that he plans to make in order to look into the next steps, mainly Hariri's next moves.

Aoun has run a series of political consultations on Tuesday at the Presidential Palace where he met with former presidents, premiers, speakers and other officials where discussions focused on the measures needed in the wake of the resignation.

Hariri appeared on Saturday on Saudi-owned al-Arabiya TV, delivering a statement in which he accused Iran of meddling in Arab affairs and the Iran-backed Hizbullah of holding Lebanon hostage.

The resignation came exactly a year after Hariri formed a coalition government that included Hizbullah, shortly after Michel Aoun and Hizbullah ally, was elected president. That arrangement was the product of a rare understanding between Saudi Arabia and Iran for calm in Lebanon, ending a two-year period during which the presidency was vacant.