Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday (June 10th) directed the resumption of Lebanon's exports to the kingdom "in accordance with the positive steps taken by Beirut on the way to rebuilding state institutions."

The official Saudi Press Agency reported that the country's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan conveyed during a phone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam the Saudi crown prince's directive to resume Lebanese exports to the Kingdom, at the request of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and the Prime Minister.

According to the agency, the Saudi crown prince's directive also comes "in accordance with the positive steps taken by the Lebanese government on the way to rebuilding state institutions, what the competent teams have accomplished over the past year, and the cooperation shown by the Lebanese side with them and the submission of the required pledges."

During the call, the Foreign Minister affirmed "the Kingdom's support for Lebanon's stability and sovereignty over its entire territory, and its confidence that our brothers in Lebanon will take all necessary measures to ensure that Lebanon is not used as a platform to harm its brothers."

A break from 2012

In 2021, Saudi Arabia imposed a blanket ban on Lebanese imports due to the rampant smuggling of Captagon pills.

Saudi-Lebanese relations have deteriorated in recent years, against the backdrop of some of Hezbollah's positions, but its secretary-general, Naim Qassem, called on Saudi Arabia to open a new page with the party.

The Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, are one of the most important markets for Lebanese agricultural and industrial products, and this step is expected to be a recovery for several Lebanese sectors such as agriculture and food industries.

The Lebanese security services, in coordination and exchange of information with the Saudi side, have succeeded in dismantling large Captagon factories, seizing major smuggling networks, and confiscating huge quantities intended for export

Nawaf Salam thanks Saudi Crown Prince

Following the Saudi move, the Lebanese Prime Minister thanked the Saudi Crown Prince for the decision to "lift the ban on Lebanese exports, which reflects the depth of the brotherly and historical relations between our two brotherly countries."

"This decision embodies the Kingdom's confidence in Lebanon and the joint keenness to enhance economic and trade cooperation to serve the interests of the two peoples," Salam said in a statement.

The decision "constitutes an important step that will support the Lebanese economy and open new horizons for Lebanese producers and exporters, in a way that contributes to enhancing growth and stability opportunities in Lebanon," he said.

Salam expressed "the Lebanese state's aspiration to continue working and coordinating with the Kingdom to consolidate the bonds of cooperation and partnership in various fields, in order to achieve the good and prosperity of the two brotherly countries."

On Friday, the Lebanese presidency said in a statement that the Saudi crown prince promised President Joseph Aoun, during a phone call, to reopen the kingdom's markets to Lebanese agricultural and industrial products, at the latter's invitation.

Saudi Arabia summons a "famous tweeter" for insulting the UAE and its leaders

The General Authority for Media Regulation in Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday, June 10, the summoning of a citizen and referring him to the Public Prosecution, after monitoring what it said was violating content he posted through an audio space on one of the social media platforms.

In a statement, the Authority said that the competent authorities monitored the violating content on June 6, before completing the legal procedures against its owner and referring it to the Public Prosecution on June 8.

It added that the audio content included "grave abuse" to a "brotherly" country, noting that these acts are considered a full-fledged cybercrime according to Article VI of the Anti-Cybercrime Law in force in the Kingdom.

For his part, Information Minister Salman Al-Dossari wrote that "insulting the leaders of brotherly and friendly countries is completely unacceptable, and it is a red line, and it transgresses our customs, culture and systems, and there is no tolerance for them."

The famous tweeter Hussain Al-Shammari appeared in an audio space via "X", directing a torrent of violent insults at the UAE and its President Mohammed bin Zayed, and Al-Shammari, the founder of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, also addressed the UAE's founder Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan with sarcastic words.

Unprecedented rift between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi

Saudi-Emirati relations are going through an unprecedented phase of cooling, and public disagreements over issues including the two countries' different orientations in the Sudan war, in Yemen, in addition to economic differences.

In Sudan, Riyadh supports the Burhan-led army to preserve state institutions, while Abu Dhabi accuses it of supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which Saudi Arabia sees as a threat to the stability of the Red Sea.

In Yemen, Riyadh is holding on to the country's unity under a central authority, while the UAE is focusing on supporting the STC to consolidate its influence in ports and sea lanes, leading to direct friction on the ground between the two parties.

Economically, the UAE's withdrawal from OPEC has opened a new crack, as Abu Dhabi seeks to increase its production away from the restrictions led by Riyadh, while the kingdom is working to transform Riyadh into an economic hub that competes with Dubai through a policy of "regional headquarters" and the expansion of the aviation, tourism and technology sectors.