Premier Hariri back in Lebanon

beirut - Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has returned to his homeland, more than two weeks after he announced his resignation in Saudi Arabia. He landed at Beirut airport on Tuesday evening, aboard a plane from Cairo that made a brief stopover in Cyprus. That has been announced by his spokesman.

Hariri plans to attend a military parade on Wednesday to celebrate Independence Day. Lebanese President Michael Aoun has so far not accepted the sudden dismissal of his prime minister. Hariri submitted this in his own words in protest against the Iranian interference in Arab affairs via the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement.

His step was bad news for governments seeking stability in the region. The Lebanese head of government held consultations with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday in Paris.