Hariri back in Lebanon for first time since quitting as PM
Saad al-Hariri returned to Beirut on Tuesday for the first time since he resigned as prime minister in a statement delivered from Saudi Arabia that plunged Lebanon into crisis.
Hariri's sudden resignation on Nov. 4 thrust Lebanon to the forefront of regional tussle between the Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Islamist Iran, whose powerful Lebanese ally Hezbollah is part of the Beirut government.
Hariri, a long-time ally of Saudi Arabia, cited fear of assassination and meddling by Iran and Hezbollah in the Arab world in his resignation speech. The move caught even his aides off guard, and Lebanese state officials and politicians close to Hariri say Riyadh forced him to quit and held him in Riyadh.
Riyadh and Hariri have denied this.
