Lebanese Analyst: Saudi Pressure on Lebanon Futile
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior Lebanese political analyst shrugged off Riyadh’s decision to stop funding for military aid to Beirut, saying that the Saudi regime is trying in vain to pressure Lebanon into changing its policies.
The Saudi regime is the only loser of its recent attempts to put pressure on Lebanon, Talal Atrissi, a Lebanese university professor and Middle East expert told the Tasnim News Agency.
He further pointed to the Saudi Kingdom’s hostilities toward Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah Resistance Movement, saying that Riyadh has not reached its goals in Yemen and Syria and considers Tehran and Hezbollah to be behind its defeats in the region.
The prominent analyst went on to say that the kingdom is trying to put pressures on Iran and Lebanon to take revenge for its defeats.
On February 19, Saudi Arabia said it was stopping payment on $4 billion worth of military aid and other support for the army and security services of Lebanon because the country did not condemn attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.
Riyadh announced the aid cuts through a statement on the website of its state news agency, citing an unnamed Saudi official.
It said Saudi Arabia was stopping a $3 billion grant to buy French arms for the Lebanese army as well as what remained of $1 billion allocated for Lebanon’s internal security force, the statement added.
