Lebanon must “deal with” Iran, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri told Davos attendees during a panel hosted by CNBC at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday.
“Iran is a country that we need to deal with. Each nation must understand how it wants to deal with Iran,” Hariri told the audience.
Hariri took office in 2016 in a power-sharing agreement with President Michel Aoun, a Christian favored by Hezbollah, following two years during which Lebanon essentially had no government.
Iran-allied Hezbollah is the most powerful wing of the Lebanese government.
“I as a prime minister I would like the best relationship with Iran, but I would like it to be state to state,” Hariri continued. “Not for somebody to invest in Lebanon without telling me on this issue, like Hezbollah or others.”
“Iran presents a challenge in the region maybe, but dialogue also is a part of resolving this issue.”
The Saudi government, a supporter of Hariri, is archly opposed to Iranian influence in Lebanon and the Middle East.
