Head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia in order to discuss the latest developments regarding the presidential elections, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Wednesday.

LF sources told the daily: “Contacts are ongoing between Geagea and the Saudi leadership to explain the Christian position on the proposed presidential settlement.”

Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri hailed on Tuesday the release of 16 servicemen who were held hostage by the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front, while hoping that this occasion will kick off efforts to resolve pending issues, most notably the presidential deadlock.

He said in a statement: “Saudi Arabia hopes that Lebanese powers will be able to elect a president as soon as possible to put an end to the paralysis at state institutions, which has started to have negative effects on the country.”

Iran said Monday that Saudi Arabia's plan to host a meeting of armed and political opponents of Syrian President Bashar Assad would breach declarations made during recent international peace talks.

Tehran and Riyadh are on opposite sides of the conflict in Syria but both have taken part in two major meetings in Vienna aimed at finding a political solution.

About 1,000 members of Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority gathered at a mosque Friday to demand the release of activists on death row, including one aged 17 when he was arrested, a resident said.

He said the prayers and sermons at Imam Hussein Mosque in the Eastern Province town of Awamiya drew Shiites from nearby Qatif and the al-Ahsa region.

There is still no date for a meeting that aims to form a coalition of Syrian opposition groups before peace talks targeted for January 1, the Saudi foreign minister said Thursday.

Riyadh is trying to bring "as broad a cross-section of Syrian opposition groups as possible" to a meeting in the kingdom, Adel al-Jubeir told a press conference with his Austrian counterpart Sebastian Kurz.

Saudi Arabia placed on Thursday a number of Hizbullah leaders and investment companies on its terrorism list due to their involvement in “operations throughout the Middle East.”

The Saudi Interior Ministry announced in a statement that 12 Hizbullah leaders and officials have been placed on the list.

Saudi Arabian officials were not informed of the meeting between Mustaqbal Movement chief MP Saad Hariri and Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, stressing however that it is keen on the “situation of Christians in Lebanon”, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Wednesday.

A diplomatic source told the daily: “Riyadh will not agree to the presidential candidacy of anyone who opposes the main views of the Christian ranks in Lebanon, especially Lebanese Forces head Samir Geagea.”

Gulf monarchs are to hold their annual summit on December 10 in the Saudi capital, three weeks before an international target date for bringing together Syria's government and opposition.

A Saudi official confirmed on Monday that the heads of state of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council will meet in Riyadh on December 10.

Iran has called for all sides in Yemen's war to join U.N.-sponsored peace talks and accused Saudi Arabia of worsening the conflict with its military intervention against Tehran-backed rebels.

In talks with visiting U.N. envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on Wednesday, Iranian officials including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif backed his efforts to resolve the conflict.

Human Rights Watch has urged the U.S. Congress to block the sale of aerial bombs to Saudi Arabia, warning their likely use in Yemen risked more civilian deaths.

The kingdom has led a bombing campaign in its southern neighbor since March, carrying out hundreds of strikes against Iran-backed rebels who had overran much of the country.