Iran: Hariri sought to mediate between Tehran, Riyadh
Iran’s president strongly criticized Saudi Arabia over its reported role in the Lebanese prime minister’s resignation.
Without directly naming the kingdom, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani slammed Saudi Arabia for its reported role in recent developments in Lebanon.
At a Cabinet meeting Nov. 15, Rouhani said that direct intervention in the internal affairs of an independent country such as Lebanon and asking a person to resign and be replaced by someone else is unprecedented. Rouhani was referring to the recent resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in Saudi Arabia.
At the Cabinet meeting, Rouhani then addressed Saudi Arabia, without naming the country, saying, "Who are you, what power are you relying on in doing such things? How much do you think money can do?"
He added, “That a Muslim country in the region asks and begs the Zionist regime to bomb the Lebanese people is very shameful and embarrassing. We haven’t seen an Islamic country do such [a thing] in history, and this indicates that inexperienced figures have come [to power] in these countries.”
