Saudi Arabia accuses Iranian militias of assassinating Rafik Hariri

Prince Khalid bin Salman said Tehran aimed to destroy his reformed ideas

A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace on March 22, 2018 shows Saudi Ambassador to the United States Prince Khaled bin Salman, son of current King Salman and brother to the Crown Prince,Show more

Saudi Arabia's Vice Minister of Defence Prince Khalid bin Salman held Iranian militias responsible on Sunday for the brutal assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri 15 years ago.
Lebanon commemorated the 15the anniversary of Mr Hariri on Friday whose death altered the country's political scene.
Mr Hariri was seen by Syria and its allies as a challenge to its control over Lebanon, but his death ultimately forced Damascus to scale back its interference in the face of nationwide anger triggered by the killing.
"He was assassinated by the Iranian militias, who were fed up with him, and with the national renaissance project he was preserving," Prince Khalid said on Twitter.

The Saudi prince described Mr Hariri as a reformed national leader.
"Rafik is gone but his vision and national project that aspired to achieve stability, prosperity and coexistence will remain despite his departure. It will combat sectarian militia's projects that fails to have any dignity for their nation and citizens,"
The Hariri family is known to have close ties to Saudi Arabia.
Mr Hariri's son, Saad, during a trip to Riyadh in November 2017, declared his resignation in a televised address.