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Saad Hariri: I am free in Saudi Arabia, will return to Lebanon soon

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9 years ago

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Lebanese people believe something is wrong, says analyst

In a dramatic move, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Sunday that he “gave a positive shock” to protect his country from imminent danger by tendering his resignation and has pledged to return to Beirut “within days”.

Speaking to Future TV, run by his own Future Movement party, in Riyadh, Hariri said he was free in Saudi Arabia. He said he will return to submit his resignation and seek a settlement with his rival in the coalition government. This was considered to be a reference to Hezbollah, the alleged pro-Iran group.

“I saw what happened … when my father was martyred. I don’t want the same thing to happen to me,” Hariri said. His father Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, was assassinated by a car bomb in 2005 in Beirut.

However, he said that withdrawal of his resignation would be conditional on the Iranian backed Hezbollah committing for remaining neutral on regional conflicts. Hezbollah sent its fighters to Syria for supporting Bashar al-Assad army in its fight against terror groups, particularly Daesh (IS). He said, “We are in the eye of the storm”.

Hariri enjoys dual citizenship of Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, a rare status in Arab world. He is considered to be close ally of Saudi Arabia.

On November 7, three days after Hariri’s resignation, Saudi Arabia’s minister for Gulf Affairs, Thamer al-Sabhan, reportedly said that Lebanon’s government has been warmongering against Saudi Arabia because of what he described as aggression by Hezbollah, the Iran backed group. “Lebanon is kidnapped by the militias of Hezbollah and behind it is Iran,” he said.

Al-Arabia had reported that Saudi King Salman had informed Saad Hariri of the details of Hezbollah’s aggression and made him aware of the dangers imposed by the group.

Hariri resigned from his office while travelling to Saudi Arabia on November 4. According to Reuters, he received a telephonic call from Saudi Arabia late evening on November 3 for a visit without accompanying aides or officials. Next day he was shocked at Riyadh airport when no dignitary came to receive him; instead his cell phone was confiscated. By the evening he was forced to announce his resignation on Saudi official Al-Arabia TV channel.

Lebanon President Michel Aoun, on November 11 said to the Beirut based foreign envoys and political leaders that Hariri was kidnapped by Saudi officials. He said “mysterious circumstances for Hariri’s stay in the Saudi capital of Riyadh makes all his positions questionable and in doubt and not of his own volition.”

An-Nahr, a leading Beirut based newspaper, said on Monday that Hariri had unexpectedly announced his resignation on November 4 in “a pre-recorded” message on Saudi TV, criticising Iran and Hezbollah citing danger to his own life.

Earlier, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had also alleged that Hariri’s resignation was illegal as it was a pre-recorded broadcast.

Aljazeera’s Beirut based journalist Zaina Khodr observed, “The aim of this interview really is to try and convince the majority of the Lebanese that he is not a hostage, that he has the freedom of movement and that the Saudis are not dictating to him what to say or what to do.”

She said, “The majority of the Lebanese believe, in one way or another, that there is something wrong.” Hariri was tense throughout the interview taking few glasses of water.

Hariri’s appearance on TV on Sunday came after several days of his mysterious absence from public eyes. He was last seen at Abu Dhabi on November 6.

An-Nahar further said that Saudi Arabia has stepped up its rhetoric against Iran and Hezbollah accusing both of supporting Houthis in Yemen where Riyadh is leading war since March 2015.

Observers believe that Iran’s widening influence is worrying Riyadh and other Arab countries, especially members of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Qatar, one of the GCC members, is already out of the alliance for all practical purposes after Saudi lead quartet, including Bahrain, UAE and Egypt, severed diplomatic ties in early June this year.

Iran has also played substantial role in the historic success against Daesh (IS) terrorists in Syria and Iraq. All three countries allege that Saudi Arabia played nefarious role in creating Daesh to implement American and Israeli plans in the region.

Recently Riad Kamel Abbas, the Syrian Ambassador to India told APN that they were fighting Saudi Arabia’s wahabi extremist ideology while crushing Daesh and other terror groups in his country.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

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2 days ago

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September 23, 2026

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

Published

2 days ago

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September 23, 2026

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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Trump issues fresh Iran warning at UN General Assembly, signals deal after midterms

US President Donald Trump issued a fresh warning to Iran during his UN General Assembly address, saying he faces a choice between a deal and further escalation.

Published

3 days ago

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September 22, 2026

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US President Donald Trump used his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to outline what he described as a major decision over Iran, putting the possibility of a deal against further military escalation.

Speaking at the UN in New York, Trump said he had a “big decision” to make. He questioned whether the United States should pursue an agreement that would allow Iran to rebuild or instead take further action against the Islamic Republic.

Trump later indicated that he believed an agreement with Iran could be reached after the US midterm elections, which are scheduled for November 3.

Trump says deal with Iran remains possible

During his speech, Trump presented two possible paths. He said a deal could allow Iran to rebuild and become a stronger country, while also raising the possibility of destroying the Islamic Republic if an agreement was not reached.

Trump said he believed a deal could eventually be reached, arguing that Iran was waiting to see the outcome of the US midterm elections.

His comments came amid the continuing US-Iran conflict and renewed diplomatic activity surrounding the confrontation. Trump’s UN appearance came as Washington was also engaged in discussions with multiple international leaders over the Iran conflict and other global issues.

Iranian delegation walks out during Trump’s speech

The Iranian delegation reportedly left the General Assembly chamber as Trump began describing the military confrontation with Iran.

According to the report, only one person from the Iranian delegation remained seated as Trump spoke about the conflict and the military strikes of the past six months.

The walkout came as tensions between Washington and Tehran remained high, with both sides facing pressure over the continuation of the conflict.

Trump’s latest warning follows earlier comments

Trump’s UN remarks came days after he said he was approaching a major decision over whether to intensify military action against Iran or pursue another route.

He had also indicated before his UN appearance that he could be open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the UN General Assembly in New York.

The possibility of renewed negotiations comes against the backdrop of continuing military and diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

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