Saudi King Hosts Hariri after Shock Resignation

PM Saad Hariri held talks on Monday with Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz in Riyadh where discussions highlighted the situation in Lebanon, his media office said in a statement.

The meeting comes less than 48 hours after he resigned as premier in a televised address from Riyadh.

During the meeting, "they reviewed the situation in Lebanon", said the state-run agency Saudi Press Agency.

After the meeting, Hariri said in a tweet: “I was honored today to meet with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz in his office at al-Yamamah Palace,” in Riyadh.

Several Saudi ministers were in attendance including: Minister of Interior Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Abdul Aziz, State Minister Msaed al-Aiban, Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubair and Minister of State for Arab Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan.

The meeting comes after Hariri's 'sudden' resignation on Saturday citing the "grip" of the Iran-backed movement Hizbullah on Lebanon, and also said he feared for his life.

Hariri made the announcement in a speech broadcast from Saudi Arabia by the Al-Arabiya news network.

The Premier's meeting with Saudi King comes after reports alleging that he was "obliged" to submit his resignation, and that he is on a “compulsory stay” in the Kingdom.

The shock resignation came amid a round up of royals, ministers and businessmen in Saudi Arabia.

Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah questioned the timing of Hariri's announcement when "things are proceeding normally... in the heart of government" in Lebanon.

He said Hariri's resignation had been "imposed" by Saudi Arabia.