Will return to Lebanon very soon: Hariri

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who unexpectedly resigned last week during a trip to Saudi Arabia saying his life was in danger, has insisted that he will return to the country soon to "unite the Lebanese people", the media reported.

"I will go back to Lebanon very soon and will take all the necessary constitutional steps to resign," Hariri told Lebanon's Future TV in an interview on Sunday from his home here.

He also suggested he could rescind his resignation, saying "if I revoke my resignation, there should be respect for Lebanon", reports CNN.

It was the first time Hariri has spoken publicly since resigning as Prime Minister via video message from Saudi Arabia on November 4.

He also said the Saudi royal family has a "lot of respect for him" and that the King (Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud) "sees him as a son", brushing off concerns that he was being held against his will, CNN reported.

"I am free in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. If I want to leave tomorrow, I will leave tomorrow.

"I wanted to save the country (Lebanon)... It is for the country to continue and be in good shape. All I wanted to do was to preserve and protect the country."

Last week, in a televised address from Riyadh, Hariri said he feared an assassination plot and accused Iran of meddling in the region, causing "devastation and chaos".

--IANS

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