Advisor to the Saudi Foreign Minister, Yazid bin Farhan. Photo taken from X.
On Friday evening, President Joseph Aoun received at the Baabda Palace the advisor to the Saudi Foreign Minister, Yazid bin Farhan, with whom he reviewed “the latest developments in Lebanon and the region,” the presidency stated on its X account.
On the same day, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem called on Saudi Arabia to “open a new page with the Resistance,” emphasizing that the region is at “a dangerous turning point” and that Hezbollah’s weapons “are directed neither at Lebanon nor at the Kingdom.” His remarks were made on the occasion of the first commemoration of the assassination of Ibrahim Akil, one of the party’s senior figures. For many years, Hezbollah has not spared Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies from criticism, even causing diplomatic incidents between Lebanon and these countries.
The Saudi envoy also met on Saturday with Tripoli MP Faisal Karami. His most recent visit to Beirut dates back to July, when he had already met with President Aoun.
After years of Riyadh’s relative disinterest, largely due to Hezbollah’s dominance over Lebanese politics, the election of Joseph Aoun as president and the appointment of Nawaf Salam as prime minister earlier this year have warmed Lebanon’s diplomatic relations with Arab countries, and Riyadh has not hidden its support for the current government.
The pro-Iranian party emerged severely weakened from last autumn’s war, during which much of its arsenal and, more importantly, its leadership were decimated by Israel. Its supply lines for cash and weapons from Iran were heavily disrupted by the fall of the Assad regime in Syria on Dec. 8, 2024. Since then, Prince bin Farhan has visited Beirut several times, following the government’s decision to centralize the arms monopoly under state control and the army’s plan to achieve this goal.
French Special Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian also visited Beirut on Sep. 11, expressing France’s support for Lebanon and pledging to continue efforts to organize two international conferences in Paris. These events aim to secure funding to help rebuild the country, support the army, and revive the economy. In this context, he noted having had “encouraging contacts in Saudi Arabia regarding support for Lebanon.”
