Oman expresses regret over Saudi-Lebanese diplomatic rift

Oman expressed regret over worsening relations between some Arab countries and Lebanon, calling on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid escalation, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The decision followed “the insulting statements” made during an interview given by Lebanon’s Information Minister George Kordahi before he became a minister.

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The row over critical comments made by Lebanese Information Minister Kordahi about the Arab Coalition military intervention in Yemen threw the government into a new crisis amid calls for Kordahi’s resignation.

Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE followed suit by asking the top Lebanese diplomats in their countries to leave.

Separately, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said on Saturday the latest crisis with Lebanon was due to the dominance of the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the political scene in Lebanon was weakening state institutions “in a way that makes Lebanon continue to process in a direction against the interests of the people of Lebanon.”

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