BEIRUT

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan affirmed on Thursday his country’s continued support for Lebanon during his first visit to the Arab country in 15 years.

Addressing a joint press conference in Beirut with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, bin Farhan expressed confidence in the new leadership's ability to initiate reforms.

“I assured Aoun of Saudi Arabia's ongoing stance with Lebanon and its people, and our trust in him and (designate-Prime Minister Nawaf Salam) to begin the reforms,” he said.

The top diplomat said that Saudi Arabia “looks optimistically to Lebanon's future” and believes that “implementing reforms will enhance global confidence in the country.”

Aoun and Salam assumed their roles in January, marking the beginning of a new political phase for a country grappling with a financial crisis since 2019 and now facing a multi-billion-dollar reconstruction bill.

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon have strained in recent years due to what Riyadh calls “hostile Lebanese stances,” particularly from the Hezbollah group.

After his election on Jan. 9, Aoun pledged to “establish the best relations with Arab sister states and build strategic partnerships with countries of the Levant and the Arabian Gulf.”

He also announced that his first foreign visit would be to Saudi Arabia, acknowledging its historical role in supporting Lebanon and affirming Lebanon's deep-rooted Arab identity as the basis for its regional relations.

During his talks with the Lebanese president, bin Farhan also emphasized “the importance of adhering to the ceasefire agreement (with Israel) and implementing Resolution 1701.”

Adopted on Aug. 11, 2006, the resolution calls for a complete cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel and the establishment of a demilitarized zone between the Blue Line (the boundary between Lebanon and Israel) and the Litani River, allowing only the Lebanese army and UNIFIL to possess weapons and military equipment in the area.

Bin Farhan's statements are consistent with official Israeli media leaks about the Israeli military's intention not to withdraw from the villages occupied in southern Lebanon during the last war within the timeframe specified in the ceasefire agreement, which expires in less than 60 hours.

Bin Farhan also mentioned that the Saudi leadership is looking forward to a meeting with President Aoun to lay the groundwork for bilateral cooperation.

Aoun, for his part, the kingdom for its efforts to assist Lebanon, particularly in ending the presidential position.

He considered bin Farhan's visit to Lebanon a message of hope, and while welcoming the minister, he recalled the historical ties between Lebanon and the kingdom, expressing hope that bilateral relations between the two countries would strengthen in all areas.

Later Thursday evening, bin Farhan met with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Government Palace in central Beirut, as well as designate Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at his home in Beirut's Kraytem neighborhood.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place between Israel and Lebanon since Nov. 27, ending a period of mutual shelling between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah that began on Oct. 8, 2023, and escalated into full-scale conflict on Sept. 23, 2024.

Under the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli army must complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon within the 60-day timeframe which ends in a few days.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio