Saudi Arabia requests the departure of Lebanese ambassador to Riyadh within 48 hours

CAIRO – 29 October 2021: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign affairs expelled on Friday the Lebanese ambassador in Riyadh giving him 48 hours to leave, as it also announced the suspension of the Lebanese imports into the Kingdom.

These decisions came as response to the Lebanese Minister of Information statements that was widely circulated on social media regarding the conflict in Yemen.

Saudi press agency stated that ‘following up to the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 27, regarding the damaging statements against the Kingdom issued by the Lebanese Minister of Information, these statements represent a new cycle of reprehensible and rejected stances issued by Lebanese officials towards the Kingdom and its policies, and included slanderous statements, and distortion of facts.’

It was added ‘that this also comes in addition to Lebanon's failure to take the measures demanded by the Kingdom to stop the export of the scourge of drugs from Lebanon through Lebanese exports to the Kingdom, especially in light of the terrorist Hezbollah's control of all ports, as well as its failure to take sanctions against those involved in those crimes that target the Kingdom and its citizens, and its non-cooperation in extraditing the wanted persons to the Kingdom in contravention of the Riyadh Agreement for Judicial Cooperation.’

The ministry explained in its statement that ‘the Kingdom’s government regrets what the relations with the Lebanese Republic have turned out due to the Lebanese authorities’ ignoring of the facts and their continued failure to take corrective measures to ensure the observance of the relations that the Kingdom has long been keen on’.

‘The ongoing hijacking the decision making of the Lebanese state made Lebanon an arena and a launching pad for activities contrary to the interest of Lebanon and its people, who have historical bonds with the Kingdom’s various walks of life and ethnicities since the independence of the Lebanese Republic, and as seen through Hezbollah providing support and training to the Houthi terrorist militia.’ The statement read.

It added that: “therefore, Saudi Arabia announces recalling its ambassador to Lebanon for consultations and requests the departure of the Lebanese ambassador to the Kingdom within the next 48 hours, and due to the importance of taking all necessary measures to protect the security of the Kingdom and its people, it has been decided to stop all Lebanese imports into the Kingdom, in addition to other measures to be taken to ensure these goals. Out of its concern for the citizens' safety in light of the increasing instability of the security situation in Lebanon, the Kingdom's government reiterates what was previously issued regarding banning citizens from traveling to Lebanon.”