Lebanonese President Aoun Is Accusing Saudi Arabia Of Detaining Former PM Saad Hariri

CNBC/Reuters: Lebanon accuses Saudi Arabia of holding its PM hostage

* Hariri says he is fine, will return soon
* French foreign minister aims to meet Hariri Thursday
* Saudi, Iran tussle for sway in Lebanon

Lebanon's president on Wednesday accused Saudi Arabia of holding hostage prime minister Saad al-Hariri along with his family - the first time he has explicitly said he was being held - and called this an act of aggression.

"We will not accept him remaining a hostage whose reason for detention we do not know," President Michel Aoun said in a statement.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, the head of Aoun's political party, said the situation was "not normal" but that Beirut wanted "good relations" with Riyadh.

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Update #1: Lebanon president: Saudi also holding Hariri's family -- Reuters
Update #2: Michel Aoun: Nothing justifies Saad Hariri's detention (Al Jazeera)

WNU Editor: Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has responded .... Hariri reiterates he will soon be back in Lebanon (Arab News).