Nov. 13 (UPI) — Lebanon Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he plans to return to the country “very soon” after he resigned from office last week while in Saudi Arabia.
Hariri appeared on Future TV from his home in Riyadh to announce his plans to return to Lebanon and follow through with his resignation.
“I will go back to Lebanon very soon and will take all the necessary constitutional steps to resign,” he said.
He added if he instead chooses to revoke his resignation there should be “respect for Lebanon.”
Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun called for Hariri’s return on Saturday, calling his resignation “unacceptable” and saying the decision came under duress.
During his resignation Hariri, a pro-Saudi politician, said he feared for his life and Iran’s meddling in Lebanon’s affairs through the Hezbollah militant group drove his decision to step down.
Hariri said he wasn’t forced to step down and wanted to deliver a “positive shock” to the people of Lebanon to show the “dangerous the situation we are in.”
“I wanted to save the country ” he said. “It is for the country to continue and be in good shape. All I wanted to do was to preserve and protect the country.”
Hariri also addressed concerns he is being held against his will, saying he is free in Saudi Arabia.
“Here in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I am free. I have complete freedom, but I want to look after my family as well,” he said.
He added the Saudi royal family has a “lot of respect for him” and he is free to leave whenever he chooses.
“If I want to leave tomorrow, I will leave tomorrow,” he said.
