RIYADH: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri visited Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for the first time since his abrupt resignation during a visit there in November set off a major political crisis.

Lebanese officials said at the time that Riyadh had forced its long-time ally Hariri to quit and put him under house arrest because it had lost patience with his political accommodation with the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Following French intervention, Hariri came back to Beirut and withdrew his resignation, drawing a line under the crisis that had raised fears for Lebanon’s stability and thrust it to the forefront of Riyadh’s regional tussle with Iran.

Hariri, whose coalition government includes Hezbollah, flew to Saudi Arabia late on Tuesday, taking up an invitation from King Salman that was delivered to him by a Saudi envoy in Beirut on Monday.

Hariri met King Salman during his visit, discussing Saudi-Lebanese relations, Saudi state news agency SPA said.

Photos and videos circulated of the king and Hariri drinking coffee and smiling in the royal al-Yamama palace.

Hariri became prime minister in 2016 in a political deal that made Hezbollah ally Michel Aoun head of state.

“It is clear that the Lebanese file has changed in Saudi Arabia. They were saying to Saad al-Hariri that because you have a deal with Michel Aoun ... and part of Hezbollah in the government, you must resign,” a source close to Hariri said.

“They have reviewed their calculations with regards to their policy towards Lebanon, and their view that Saad al-Hariri must wage a military war against Hezbollah, or will otherwise be persona non grata,” the source added.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2018