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According to diplomatic sources, Paris has received no updates from Saudi Arabia concerning the presidential election in Lebanon. Riyadh has reportedly once againĀ confirmed that it will leave the choice of president to the Lebanese people, without veto or support for any candidate.
Furthermore, this position will have no impact on the complicated situation of the Lebanese presidency. Unless Jean-Yves Le Drian returns from Beirut with new measures, the deadlock will remain. In fact, Le Drian has placed himself in a precarious position by anticipating that each party would claim victories and accomplishments that would enable their candidate to gain access to the presidential palace. Consequently, none of the parties will compromise their position, thereby rendering it even more challenging to reach a consensus for the election of a president.
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However, as per the same sources, in the event that Le Drian’s mission fails, and after informing the five participants in the Paris meeting ā the United States, France, Saoudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar ā France will hold those who hinder this process accountable and impose sanctions through a joint European action, partnered with the Americans. Furthermore, France is trying to find a loophole in the presidential deadlock by involving Iran in the mediation process, with the help of Saudi Arabia. This will help pressure Hezbollah into adopting a new option and abandoning Sleiman Frangieh.
In this particular context, it appears that Franco-Iranian relations are not thriving, and Paris is attempting to address several issues involving Iran through the mediation efforts of Saudi Arabia. A significant number of these issues have been brought to Tehran by the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal bin Farhan in order to provide answers to Paris.
According to diplomatic sources, it is difficult to exert pressure on Tehran in order to facilitate the election of a president, especially since Hezbollah is not willing to compromise or toĀ make any concessions. This could potentially result in Paris ceasing its initiatives and actions pertaining to Lebanon, thereby exposing the country to potential conflicts that could lead to the establishment of a constitutional movement that reassesses its present structure.
