WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th July, 2021) The United States is disappointed over the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister designate Saad Hariri amid the ongoing economic and political crisis, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a press release.
On Thursday, Hariri announced his resignation after his meeting with President Michel Aoun who denied once again his proposed composition of the cabinet.
"Today's announcement that Saad Hariri is resigning as Prime Minister-designate is yet another disappointing development for the Lebanese people," Blinken said on Thursday.
Blinken urged political leaders in Lebanon to put aside differences to form a new government and hold parliamentary elections in 2022.
Lebanon has been suffering from a deep economic crisis since 2019. The national Currency has lost over 80% of its value, while the population is facing shortage of fuel and other essentials.
The economic collapse is being accompanied by the political crisis, as the country has had no stable government since January 2020, when Hariri, who was the prime minister since 2016, left his post. He was appointed as the prime minister-designate again in October 2020, following the resignation of Hassan Diab, who quit over the Beirut port blast, and Mustapha Adib's refusal to form a government. Hariri claimed that he would manage to find a compromise between all blocs and parties, but failed.
