Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Joe Raggi has called on the Kingdom of Bahrain to reopen its embassy in Beirut and reestablish full diplomatic ties, amid signs of easing tensions between Lebanon and Gulf nations.
Joe Raggi © OLJ
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Joe Raggi has called on the Kingdom of Bahrain to reopen its embassy in Beirut and reestablish full diplomatic ties, amid signs of easing tensions between Lebanon and Gulf nations.
His remarks were made in an interview with Bahrain’s Al-Ayyam newspaper on Tuesday, just ahead of President Joseph Aoun’s official visit to Manama.
Diplomatic relations between Lebanon and several Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, were severely strained following a political crisis in 2021. Since then, travel restrictions have remained in place, with most Gulf nations advising or outright banning travel to Lebanon.
Raggi emphasized Lebanon’s enduring commitment to its Arab identity and regional partnerships. “Lebanon has never turned its back on the Arab world. We remain grateful for the support Bahrain and other Arab nations have shown us during our darkest times.”
The upcoming visit by President Aoun is seen as a step toward mending relations and fostering renewed cooperation. Analysts view the moment as a diplomatic window to rebuild trust and reintegrate Lebanon more deeply into its traditional Arab alliances.
Ankara rejected on Wednesday what it called the "prejudiced and unfair" stance of the European Union towards fundamental rights and the judiciary in Turkey, and regarding Cyprus, contained in the bloc's report on EU membership candidates.
Turkey's parliament is set on Wednesday to ratify a defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan that includes a collective defence clause, committing NATO's second-largest army to Riyadh's defence as it faces attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis.
Hezbollah on Wednesday rejected accusations that it had dispatched experts to Yemen to fight alongside the Houthis in their war against the internationally recognised government and Saudi Arabia.
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