The Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan, was received by his Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Bou Habib, at Beirut airport on Jan. 23, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Through the visit of its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal bin Farhan, on Thursday, Saudi Arabia made its comeback in Lebanon official, after disengaging from the country in 2016 in the wake of its standoff with Iran. Bin Farhan is the first high-level Saudi official to visit the country since 2010. His visit follows the election of Joseph Aoun to the presidency and the designation of Nawaf Salam to form the Cabinet. The Saudis’ return to Lebanon came in the wake of the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been considerably weakened. It is therefore a way for Riyadh to reassert its weight on the Lebanese scene after the decline of the Iran-led axis. But what to expect in concrete terms? Obviously, all eyes will be on the assistance that Saudi Arabia will provide to Lebanon, where it has always been the main donor,...
Through the visit of its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal bin Farhan, on Thursday, Saudi Arabia made its comeback in Lebanon official, after disengaging from the country in 2016 in the wake of its standoff with Iran. Bin Farhan is the first high-level Saudi official to visit the country since 2010. His visit follows the election of Joseph Aoun to the presidency and the designation of Nawaf Salam to form the Cabinet. The Saudis’ return to Lebanon came in the wake of the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been considerably weakened. It is therefore a way for Riyadh to reassert its weight on the Lebanese scene after the decline of the Iran-led axis. But what to expect in concrete terms? Obviously, all eyes will be on the assistance that Saudi Arabia will provide to Lebanon, where it has always been the main donor,...
