Advisor to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Nizar bin Suleiman al-Aloula meeting with the Special Envoy of the French President to Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian on Wednesday July 12, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Credit: Saudi Press Agency)
BEIRUT — Saudi cabinet advisor Nizar bin Suleiman al-Aloula met in Riyadh on Wednesday with France's special envoy to Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, and discussed "latest developments" on Lebanon, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During his visit to Lebanon, between June 21 and 23, Le Drian met with various officials in an attempt to reach a solution to the country's deadlocked presidential election.
According to Lebanese press reports, Le Drian is expected in Beirut on July 16 or 17.
In June, French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) called in a statement for a "rapid end to the institutional political vacuum in Lebanon."
The statement came after Macron hosted Saudi Arabia's de facto leader for talks in Paris, where he had been expected to seek support from MBS to find a solution to Lebanon's leadership crisis.
Lebanese lawmakers failed for a 12th time to elect a new president in June, as the country is grappling with its first executive double vacancy and a crippling economic crisis.
Macron reportedly informed MBS that he warned Iran that Hezbollah needs to "soften its stance to allow the arrival of a new president," according to a diplomatic source at the Élysée Palace.
Hezbollah supports the presidential candidacy of Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh in the election that has been stalled for months. According to the diplomatic source, two world leaders agreed that "the Iranian-Saudi detente should benefit" Lebanon.