Hezbollah says Saudi Arabia forced Lebanese PM to quit
Saad al-Hariri
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanonâs Shiâite Hezbollah group on Sunday accused Saudi Arabia of forcing  Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri  to quit  and called for calm in an effort to contain the political crisis unleashed by  his  resignation.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun meets with  Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri  at the presidential palace in Baabda  Lebanon  September 28  2017. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah  the leader of Iran-backed Hezbollah  said there should be no political escalation in response to  Hariri âs declaration on Saturday  which was made from Saudi Arabia and came as surprise even to his aides.
 Hariri   in a televised speech  said there was a plot to kill him  and accused Hezbollah and its Iranian backers of sowing strife in the Arab world.
Nasrallah said âlegitimate questionsâ were being asked over whether  Hariri  had been detained in Saudi Arabia  where news emerged on Sunday that royals  ministers and investors had been arrested in an anti-corruption purge.
Speaking in a televised address  Nasrallah said: âThe resignation was a Saudi decision dictated to  Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri  and was forced on  him .â
Nasrallah said Lebanonâs political leaders expected  Hariri  to return to Lebanon on Thursday âif  he  is allowedâ to travel.
Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia  a political ally of  Hariri   is locked in a bitter tussle for power across the Middle East with Shiâite Iran and its allies  including Hezbollah.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun will not accept  Hariri âs resignation until  he  returns to Lebanon to explain his reasons  palace sources said on Sunday  delaying for now the politically difficult consultations over his successor.
Nasrallah said he would not comment on accusations leveled against Hezbollah by  Hariri   describing his resignation announcement as a Saudi statement.
 Hariri âs resignation toppled a coalition government that included Hezbollah  thrusting Lebanon back into the frontline of the Saudi-Iranian regional rivalry and risking an open-ended political crisis.
Nasrallah said he had thought things were going well and had not wanted  Hariri  to quit.
 Hariri  allies in Lebanon have denied suggestions he had been detained and a photograph was published on his Twitter account showing him with Saudi Arabiaâs newly appointed ambassador to Lebanon  Walid al-Yaaqoub.
News of high-level arrests in Saudi Arabia fueled social media speculation in Lebanon that Hariri  a Saudi national  was a target. Nasrallah said âthere was legitimate concernâ  asking if  Hariri  had anything to do âwith this internal struggle between the princesâ.
Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awsat cited unnamed sources close to  Hariri  as speculating that  he  would probably remain outside Lebanon because of the security threat against  him .
In Lebanonâs sectarian system the president must be a Maronite Catholic  the prime minister a Sunni and the speaker of parliament a Shiâite.  Hariri  is Lebanonâs most influential Sunni politician.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanonâs Shiâite Hezbollah group on Sunday accused Saudi Arabia of forcing   [TGT] to quit  and called for calm in an effort to contain the political crisis unleashed by   [TGT]   resignation.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun meets with   [TGT] at the presidential palace in Baabda  Lebanon  September 28  2017. Dalati Nohra/Handout via REUTERS
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah  the leader of Iran-backed Hezbollah  said there should be no political escalation in response to  Hariri âs declaration on Saturday  which was made from Saudi Arabia and came as surprise even to his aides.
 Hariri   in a televised speech  said there was a plot to kill him  and accused Hezbollah and its Iranian backers of sowing strife in the Arab world.
Nasrallah said âlegitimate questionsâ were being asked over whether   [TGT] had been detained in Saudi Arabia  where news emerged on Sunday that royals  ministers and investors had been arrested in an anti-corruption purge.
Speaking in a televised address  Nasrallah said: âThe resignation was a Saudi decision dictated to  [TGT] and was forced on   [TGT]  .â
Nasrallah said Lebanonâs political leaders expected   [TGT] to return to Lebanon on Thursday âif  he  is allowedâ to travel.
Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia  a political ally of   [TGT] is locked in a bitter tussle for power across the Middle East with Shiâite Iran and  [TGT]  allies  including Hezbollah.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun will not accept   [TGT]  âs resignation until  he  returns to Lebanon to explain his reasons  palace sources said on Sunday  delaying for now the politically difficult consultations over his successor.
Nasrallah said he would not comment on accusations leveled against Hezbollah by   [TGT]    describing his resignation announcement as a Saudi statement.
  [TGT]  âs resignation toppled a coalition government that included Hezbollah  thrusting Lebanon back into the frontline of the Saudi-Iranian regional rivalry and risking an open-ended political crisis.
Nasrallah said he had thought things were going well and had not wanted  Hariri  to quit.
 Hariri  allies in Lebanon have denied suggestions he had been detained and a photograph was published on his Twitter account showing him with Saudi Arabiaâs newly appointed ambassador to Lebanon  Walid al-Yaaqoub.
News of high-level arrests in Saudi Arabia fueled social media speculation in Lebanon that Hariri  a Saudi national  was a target. Nasrallah said âthere was legitimate concernâ  asking if  Hariri  had anything to do âwith this internal struggle between the princesâ.
Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awsat cited unnamed sources close to  Hariri  as speculating that  he  would probably remain outside Lebanon because of the security threat against  him .
In Lebanonâs sectarian system the president must be a Maronite Catholic  the prime minister a Sunni and the speaker of parliament a Shiâite.  Hariri  is Lebanonâs most influential Sunni politician.