Centrum Stosunków Międzynarodowych - 19 February 2016: Saudi Arabia cancelled €4bn aid to Lebanon as Beirut sides with Iran

After Iranians raided Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Teheran last month for executing a Shi'ite Muslim cleric, Saudi Arabia has now cancelled arms deals worth of €4bn to Lebanon for not supporting Saudi resolutions against Iran. While the relationship between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia extends for well over nine decades, Lebanon’s political division between the Sunni-led coalition and the Iran-backed Shia Hezbollah movement has proven a strong obstacle in their diplomatic relations. Saudi Arabia long has been suspicious of Iran, which supports Hezbollah and Syria’s embattled President Bashar Al Assad. The United Arab Emirates stand by Saudi Arabia’s decision and both countries have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon. Lebanon's Prime Minister Tammam Salam is hoping for reconsiderations.