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

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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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India envoy Dinesh Trivedi meets PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman 

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman amid diplomatic tensions.

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India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after his meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka.

According to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh, Trivedi sought PM Modi’s guidance on further strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh through a constructive and people-centric approach.

The meeting came a day after Trivedi held discussions with Tarique Rahman on matters of mutual interest and ways to advance ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Dinesh Trivedi Meets Bangladesh PM

During his meeting with Tarique Rahman on Monday, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi and reiterated India’s commitment to working with the Bangladeshi administration and its people in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner.

The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and explored avenues for strengthening India-Bangladesh relations with a people-centric approach.

The engagement took place at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Trivedi also shared his experience of serving in Dhaka over the previous two months.

Sheikh Hasina Extradition Request

The meeting assumed significance as Bangladesh has expressed hope that India will expedite the extradition process involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted following a student-led uprising in 2024.

According to a statement issued by the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, Dhaka also reiterated its request for India to return individuals it alleges were involved in the killing of Shahid Osman Hadi, a prominent figure associated with the July uprising who was shot on December 12, 2025.

Tarique Rahman stressed the need to create a suitable environment to take forward relations between Bangladesh and India.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and other officials attended the meeting.

India-Bangladesh Ties Amid Diplomatic Friction

The latest high-level engagements come amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries following a virtual press interaction by Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on August 5.

The event, organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia to mark the second anniversary of her ouster, prompted strong objections from Dhaka.

During the interaction, Hasina said she remained determined to return to Bangladesh in December and restore democracy, while acknowledging the possibility of imprisonment or a death sentence upon her return.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently registered a strong protest and said the development had affected public sentiment and complicated efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

India has said the government had no involvement in the event. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it was organised by a private media entity and clarified that New Delhi did not endorse views expressed at the forum.

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Trump, PM Modi will resolve tariff issue over Russian oil trade, says US official

White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue over US tariff threats linked to India’s Russian oil trade.

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US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue surrounding the threat of US tariffs linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said on Tuesday.

Navarro’s remarks came days after the US Senate passed a bill authorising the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five purchasers of Russian oil. The measure argues that such purchases directly contribute to financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Navarro comments on India’s Russian oil trade

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Navarro said India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia before the Ukraine war began in 2022.

He alleged that India became heavily involved in the trade after Russia’s invasion and sold refined products on behalf of Russia, which he said helped support the Russian war effort.

“Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia, but afterwards it got heavily involved,” Navarro said.

The White House adviser also claimed that the issue had since been resolved and attributed some of the shift in India’s Russian oil trade to an opinion article he recently wrote in the Financial Times.

Trump and Modi will resolve issue, Navarro says

Navarro said the relationship between Trump and Modi would help address the tariff-related issue.

“The president and your prime minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves,” he said, adding that it was not his place to intervene.

His comments come amid US concerns over countries purchasing Russian oil and proposed measures aimed at imposing additional tariffs on major buyers.

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US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill, India-China face 100% tariff risk

The US Senate has passed a Russia sanctions bill that could allow 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China.

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Donald Trump

The US Senate has approved a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.

The legislation was passed by an 86-11 vote and will now move to the US House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on August 31.

The bill is named in honour of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Ukraine who died on July 11. Graham had pushed for tougher sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

India and China among major Russian energy buyers

The legislation gives the US president the power to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas.

India and China are among those countries, along with Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia.

The bill also contains an exception for countries importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies.

What does the Russia sanctions bill contain?

Apart from the proposed tariffs, the legislation includes sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects.

The bill would also expand US sanctions to older and reflagged oil tankers allegedly used by Moscow to bypass existing restrictions on Russian oil and energy revenues.

At the same time, the White House would have the option to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest.

Bill also extends Iran sanctions law

The legislation also contains a provision related to Iran. It would extend the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031.

The law penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector.

The bill’s passage in the Senate marks the next step in the US legislative process, but it still needs approval from the House of Representatives before it can move forward.

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