Lebanon's Hariri lands in Paris after 'Saudi hostage' rumours

His shock resignation in Riyadh two weeks ago sparked accusations that he was being held there against his will.

A source close to Hariri confirmed he had landed in Paris after flying in overnight from Riyadh, while Lebanese TV showed live images of the premier and his wife arriving at their Paris residence.

Hariri's arrival in Paris came after he met French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Riyadh Thursday as Lebanon's former colonial power tried to ease a crisis that has driven up tensions between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia.

In a further escalation of the situation, Saudi state media said Saturday the country had recalled its ambassador to Berlin in protest over comments made by the German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel perceived as suggesting Hariri had been held against his will in Riyadh

Hariri, a dual Saudi citizen, has been in the Saudi capital since his televised announcement there on November 4 that he was stepping down because he feared for his life, accusing Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah of destabilising his country.

The announcement - which reportedly took even some of Hariri's closest aides by surprise - and his subsequent failure to return home to quit officially in person, fuelled claims that he was acting under orders from his Saudi patrons.

However, shortly before leaving Riyadh for Paris, Hariri said in a tweet that it was untrue he was being held in Saudi.

Earlier in the week Gabriel had said: "Lebanon has earned the right to decide on its fate by itself and not become a pinball of Syria or Saudi Arabia or other national interests".

Meanwhile, Macron said he will host Hariri with the honours due to a prime minister when they meet at noon on Saturday, with his family set to join them later for lunch.  

There is no indication what Hariri plans to do after visiting Macron, but the French leader has insisted he would then be free to return to Lebanon to either formally resign or rethink his decision. 

France's intervention was the latest in a string of European efforts to defuse tensions over Lebanon, where divisions between Sunni Hariri's bloc and Shiite Hezbollah have long been a focal point in a broader struggle between Riyadh and Tehran.