Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, on his first trip abroad since taking office, met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, signalling a reset in Beirut-Riyadh relations after years of Saudi disengagement from Lebanese affairs.
Mr Aoun landed in Riyadh accompanied by Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, and said in comments on X: “The visit is an opportunity to emphasise the depth of Lebanese-Saudi relations, and it is also an occasion to express Lebanon’s appreciation for the role played by the kingdom in supporting Lebanon's stability, its safety and the regular functioning of its constitutional institutions."
The official Saudi Press Agency said Mr Aoun met Prince Mohammed and discussed "the latest developments in Lebanon and the region" as well as reviewing bilateral relations and ways to improve them.
Earlier, Mr Aoun had said he was looking "forward with great hope to the discussions I will have with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this evening, which will pave the way for a subsequent visit during which agreements will be signed to enhance co-operation between the two brotherly countries".
Saudi Arabia had distanced itself from Lebanese affairs for years due to the influence of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon's political landscape and its alignment with Iran. In 2016, Riyadh suspended a $3 billion military aid package to Lebanon after Beirut failed to condemn attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.
Mr Aoun aims to restore Lebanon's ties with its Arab neighbours. During his visit to Riyadh, he was expected to request the reinstatement of the military aid to strengthen the Lebanese army. He told Asharq News he would ask Riyadh “if it is possible to reactivate the grant” halted in 2016. There was no mention of the aid after the meetings.
Many view the international community’s support for the Lebanese Armed Forces' mission is an essential requirement for its success in implementing UN Resolution 1701, which calls for disarming armed groups in Lebanon – seen as a reference to Hezbollah.
Recent developments have altered domestic and regional dynamics. Hezbollah's influence has waned after a year of war with Israel, which resulted in the destruction of the group's infrastructure, the elimination of its leadership and the infiltration of its security apparatus. The fall of former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad, a vital ally of both Iran and Hezbollah, has disrupted Tehran’s so-called Axis of Resistance, weakening Iran’s strategic foothold in the region. Syria, once a conduit for Iranian support to Hezbollah, no longer serves this role.
Saudi Arabia played a central role in pushing for the election of Joseph Aoun as head of state, ending more than two years of political deadlock in Lebanon. This led to the appointment of Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister and the formation of a new government. The cabinet’s ministerial statement scrapped any mention of “armed resistance” for the first time since 2005, marking a significant shift of Lebanon’s official stance on the military activities of Hezbollah, and a broader effort to reassert state sovereignty over defence and security matters.
The policy statement also mentioned that Lebanon would “never be used as a platform to attack our brothers and friends in Arab states”. Hezbollah has been accused of carrying out campaigns against Gulf states through various attacks and supporting regional militia groups that align with Iran’s interests.
