What Prompted Hariri to Resign after Meeting with Iranian Envoy?

A source close to Ali Akbar Velayati, the senior aid to Iran’s Leader, has revealed the secret contents of a Friday meeting between Velayati and Lebanese PM Saad Hariri.

“Hariri, who had just came back from his trip to Saudi Arabia, held talks with the Iranian envoy in Beirut and immediately left the Lebanese capital for Riyadh to announce his resignation through Saudi media,” the source said.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said during the talks in Beirut, Hariri raised Saudi Arabia’s demands, urging Iran to stop supporting the oppressed nation of Yemen and improve its ties with the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council members.

“In response, Velayati called on Hariri to have the Saudis stop their airstrikes against the innocent and besieged nation of Yemen and establish dialogue with the Yemenis to resolve the crisis underway in the country,” the source told the Fars News Agency.

According to the source, with their inappropriate demands, Hariri and the Saudis expected Iran to leave alone the Yemenis to their fate “but after receiving Iran’s negative response, the Saudis called back Hariri and urged him to resign.”

Referring to the resignation letter of Hariri, the source went on saying a short review of the wording of the letter leaves no doubt that it was the Saudis who had dictated the resignation on Hariri.

“Hariri hoped that he could convince Iran on the part of Saudi Arabian officials to stop its opposition to the inhumane policies of Riyadh towards Yemen including conducting airstrikes against the innocent women and children and imposing siege on the impoverished nation which is suffering from lack of food and medicines. But after facing Iran’s strong objection, he decided to resign,” the source noted.

The informed source also referred to the scarcity of basic medicines and foods in Yemen and said today 700,000 people in Yemen are being infected with cholera. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is not ready to withdraw its support for the oppressed people of Yemen.”