Lebanon's Hariri 'free to move around': France

Lebanon's Saad Hariri, who resigned as prime minister at the weekend, is "free to move around", French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said yesterday amid rumours he was being held against his will in Saudi Arabia.

"He went to Abu Dhabi the day before the President (Emmanuel) Macron's visit (on Wednesday) so we think he's free to move around," Le Drian told Europe 1 radio.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Thursday demanded the return of Hariri from Saudi Arabia, where he announced his plans to step down in a shock decision on Saturday.

In his televised speech made from Saudi Arabia, Hariri said he was stepping down because of Iran's "grip" on Lebanon and threats to his life, but the comments led to immediate speculation about Saudi pressure.

Al-Akhbar newspaper, which is close to Iranian-backed movement Hezbollah, suggested that Hariri, who holds Saudi nationality, was being held "hostage" in Riyadh.

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country was the colonial power in Lebanon, made a surprise visit to Riyadh late on Thursday to discuss the crisis with the Saudi crown prince, reported AFP.

"The Lebanese situation is the most worrying subject of the moment," Le Drian added in his interview yesterday morning.

Hariri's announcement raised fears that Lebanon -- split into rival camps led by Hariri and Hezbollah -- could once again descend into violence.

Meanwhile, three Gulf states advised their citizens against travelling to Lebanon on Thursday and asked those already there to leave as soon as possible, amid rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran over Lebanon and Yemen, reported Reuters.

The official Saudi Press Agency, citing an official Foreign Ministry source, said the kingdom was asking citizens who were visiting or residing in Lebanon to leave as soon as possible.