The Minister of the Interior, Ahmad Hajjar, received by the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, in Manama, on January 21, 2026. Photo taken from the website of the Ministry of the Interior.
Lebanon continues its efforts to restore relations with the Gulf monarchies. It is in this context that Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar visited Bahrain last week. According to official circles, the main goal of the trip was to discuss the assistance Bahrain could provide to Lebanon’s various security agencies. From a more political perspective, however, the visit could be interpreted as another sign of Saudi Arabia’s (viewed as Bahrain’s “patron”) desire to gradually reassert influence in Lebanon after years of strained relations. This also sends a clear message to Hezbollah, which contributed to the deterioration of diplomatic ties with Manama in the wake of the Arab Spring.Speaking to L’Orient-Le Jour, Hajjar focused on the outcomes of his trip which came in response to an invitation from his counterpart, Rashed bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa....
Lebanon continues its efforts to restore relations with the Gulf monarchies. It is in this context that Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar visited Bahrain last week. According to official circles, the main goal of the trip was to discuss the assistance Bahrain could provide to Lebanon’s various security agencies. From a more political perspective, however, the visit could be interpreted as another sign of Saudi Arabia’s (viewed as Bahrain’s “patron”) desire to gradually reassert influence in Lebanon after years of strained relations. This also sends a clear message to Hezbollah, which contributed to the deterioration of diplomatic ties with Manama in the wake of the Arab Spring.Speaking to L’Orient-Le Jour, Hajjar focused on the outcomes of his trip which came in response to an invitation from his counterpart, Rashed bin Abdullah...
Rubio condemns Iran's 'outrageous' attacks on Kuwait
