Mashari Althaydi

By : Mashari Althaydi

:: Around a year later, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri made the normal and expected decision of leaving Hezbollah’s secret government.

Hariri formed his government in December 2016, and it has made some good achievements such as approving a budget and attempting to resolve the Syrian refugee crisis. More importantly there was also Hariri’s apparent attempt to maintain Lebanese peace and neutrality.

However, Iran’s arrogance , the stubbornness of its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, the deteriorating humanitarian consequences of the Syrian tragedy – Hezbollah is partner in this Syrian crime – the confrontation between Arabs and Iran, particularly Saudi Arabia which is fighting Khomeini Houthi gangs in Yemen and Hezbollah’s media campaign against Saudi Arabia and Arab coalition countries must be deterred.

After all this, Hariri could not but resign. While delivering his resignation speech, he said the current situation resembles the phase which preceded the assassination of his father Rafiq. He said: “I sensed a plot to target my life.” He also said: “Iran has a wild desire to destroy the Arab world,” and vowed that “Iran’s hands in the region will be cut off.”

He clearly said: “Hezbollah imposed a fair accompli on Lebanon through the power of its weapons.” Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said this stance was right and voiced surprise that his resignation took long as “no one who respects himself can stay in the government.”

Hariri’s surprising step confused Iran’s calculations especially that Khamenei’s trusted advisor Ali Velayati was in Lebanon few days ago celebrating Iranian domination over Lebanon and victory in Syria

Mashari Althaydi

Surprising step

Hariri’s surprising step confused Iran’s calculations especially that Khamenei’s trusted advisor Ali Velayati was in Lebanon few days ago celebrating Iranian domination over Lebanon and victory in Syria.

Iranian Shura Council adviser Hussein Amir Abdollahian voiced anger due to Hariri’s resignation and said that Velayati said from Lebanon that the Iranian Islamic Republic is keen on “Lebanon’s unity and independence.”

Iran’s interferences and meddling in Arab countries is no secret and are not based on analysis but they are a tangible reality. “The Dove of Peace,” Iranian President Hassan Rowland recently said: “At the time being, it’s not possible to take any decisive measures in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, North Africa and the Gulf without Iran.” This statement called for a response from Saad Hariri himself.

Rowhani’s statements expressed the Iranian regime’s ideology. For example, the deputy commander of al-Quds force, Ismail Qaiana, previously said: “Iran continues to conquest the region’s countries.”

Is it time for the major confrontation with the Iranian regime? Will the beginning be with its major Arab tool, the Lebanese Hezbollah, and its Yemeni version, the Houthi movement ? We face historical and fateful moments.

:: Saudi journalist Mashari Althaydi presents Al Arabiya News Channel’s “views on the news” daily show “Maraya.” He has previously held the position of a managing senior editor for Saudi Arabia & Gulf region at pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat. Althaydi has published several papers on political Islam and social history of Saudi Arabia. He appears as a guest on several radio and television programs to discuss the ideologies of extremist groups and terrorists. He tweets under @MAlthaydy.

:: Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in the Column section are their own and do not reflect RiyadhVision’s point-of-view.

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