Today, Saad Hariri announced his resignation from his post as the Lebanese Prime Minister from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In his speech, Hariri said that the reasons behind his resignation are the external factors that are negatively impacting Lebanon and trying to threaten its safety. He accused Iran of interfering in Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries. He also mentioned that the situation in Lebanon is similar to the state of the country before his father, the previous Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, was assassinated in Downtown Beirut in 2005. In fact, a failed assassination attempt has been foiled earlier this week. The speech was broadcasted on television, while President Michel Aoun was informed by Hariri’s decision via a telephone call. Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri received the news when he arrived in Egypt. Berri is on his way back to Lebanon to follow Hariri’s resignation. Lebanese politicians were surprised by this decision. The Lebanese Minister of Finance Ali Hassan Khalil announced that the Lebanese pound is not in danger following the resignation. Hariri wished the best to Lebanon:
I hope that Lebanon will be the strongest free independent country, with no authority over it except for its great people, governed by law and protected by one army and one weapon.
To read the full speech, click
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