Saudi Arabia denies discomfort over Hariri’s visit to Turkey

A Saudi foreign ministry source has denied media reports claiming the kingdom is “displeased” with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri’s visit to Turkey.

The source stressed that no Saudi source has issued any statements in this regard.

Elaph newspaper reported that a source said: “a Saudi official has contacted a Lebanese minister and informed him that Hariri’s visit to Turkey would cost him a heavy price.”

It has been reported that Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri is trying to “introduce a counterweight to Shia Iran through Turkey, because he believes that Saudi Arabia will no longer support him without a price”.

Read: Lebanon calls for Turkey’s support for boosting security, infrastructure

A source described as “informed” was quoted as saying that Hariri believes Turkey may be his saviour in the upcoming elections, especially given that both his and his party Future Movement’s financial resources have greatly diminished.

The source said “Saad Al-Hariri seems to have erred in his calculations believing that his alliance with Turkey will not go unnoticed by his ally and main supporter in the region, Saudi Arabia”.

Al-Hariri is preparing for the next parliamentary election in May.