LOC20:09
17:09 GMT
BEIRUT, Nov 4 (KUNA) -- Lebanese Internal Security authority Saturday denied that it was the source of media reports, which talked about a failed assassination attempt against Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri.
What have been published on social and regular media that the authority thwarted a life bid against Al-Hariri was not true, it added in a statement.
The authority "is not the source of such information and has no information about it," it said.
Al-Hariri, currently abroad, announced his resignation in a televised broadcast by Al-Arabiya satellite channel, lashing out at Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah group.
He said current atmosphere in Lebanon was exactly similar to the atmosphere before his father Rafik Al-Hariri was killed in 2005.
"We are living in a climate similar to the atmosphere that prevailed before the assassination of martyr Rafik Al-Hariri," he said.
The Lebanese prime minister reiterated his refusal to use Hezbollah's weapons against Lebanese and Syrians.
Lashing out at Iran, Al-Hariri emphasized that "Iran's hands in the region will be cut off."
Al-Hariri headed a government that comprised various political groups and forces, including Hezbollah.
President Michel Aoun was informed by telephone of Al-Hariri's government resignation, the Lebanese Presidency said.
"President Aoun received a telephone call from Prime Minister Saad Hariri, currently outside Lebanon, informing him of the resignation of his government," it said in a statement on Saturday.
The president is waiting for the return of Hariri to Beirut to know more about the causes of his resignation, according to the statement. (pickup previous)
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