Interior Miniser Nouhad al-Mashnouq stated on Tuesday that Lebanon has taken a “clear position” on all forms of extremist terrorism.

He added in statement: “We understand Saudi Arabia's recent designation of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah in the kingdom, and al-Nusra Front as terrorist.”

The Syrian government freed only 25 prisoners — and not the 150 reported by foreign mediators — in exchange for 13 Greek Orthodox nuns who had been held by al-Qaida-linked rebels, the country's information minister said Tuesday.

Qatari and Lebanese officials, who were mediating between Damascus and the rebels holding the nuns, said previously that 150 women prisoners were released early Monday.

Qatar defended its independent foreign policy Monday after Saudi Arabia and two other Gulf countries recalled their envoys from Doha accusing it of meddling in their internal affairs.

"Our policy is based on openness towards all, and we do not want to exclude anyone," Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiya said during a visit to Paris, in remarks aired by Doha-based Al-Jazeera television.

President Michel Suleiman thanked on Monday Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, for Doha's role in the release in Syria of more than a dozen Greek Orthodox nuns.

A Baabda Palace statement said that during phone conversations, Suleiman also thanked the Syrian government and other parties involved in the release of the nuns in exchange for Syrian authorities setting free dozens of female prisoners.

Saudi and Emirati pundits have quit major media outlets in Qatar, including the broadcaster of top-flight European football, they said on Sunday, as tensions soar between Doha and Gulf states.

In an unprecedented decision on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain withdrew their envoys to Qatar, which they accused of meddling in their internal affairs by supporting Islamists.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar are supporting militant groups in Iraq and have effectively declared war on the country, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said as nationwide violence left 15 dead Saturday.

The rare direct attack on the Sunni Gulf powers, with Maliki also accusing Riyadh of supporting global terrorism, comes with Iraq embroiled in its worst prolonged period of bloodshed since 2008, with more than 1,800 people killed already this year, ahead of parliamentary elections due next month.

Egypt has welcomed the decision of three Gulf states to withdraw their envoys to Qatar and said its own ambassador "will not return" to the Gulf emirate.

The unprecedented decision this week by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates was seen as closely linked to Qatar's support for the Muslim Brotherhood of deposed Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, who was overthrown by the military in July.

The unprecedented decision by three Gulf states to pull their envoys from Qatar reflects their frustration with Doha's activist foreign policy and its support for the widely banned Muslim Brotherhood.

Tensions in the Gulf Cooperation Council reached a new high when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain publicly accused Qatar of meddling in their internal affairs, a charge dismissed by Doha, which cited instead differences in regional politics.

Three Gulf monarchies recalled their ambassadors from Doha Wednesday in an unprecedented escalation in tension with fellow Gulf Cooperation Council member Qatar, accused of backing the widely banned Muslim Brotherhood.

Regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said the decision was made in protest against Qatar's alleged interference in their internal affairs. Doha said it regretted the recall of its envoys but would not follow suit.

A Qatar rights body will pursue the release of a citizen who was jailed seven years over links to an Islamist group in an "unfair" UAE ruling, local media reported Wednesday.

A top United Arab Emirates court on Monday sentenced Qatari national Mahmud al-Jidah to seven years in prison followed by deportation after he was convicted with two Emiratis of raising funds for a local Muslim Brotherhood-linked group, Al-Islah.