In recent months, high-ranking officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have made significant diplomatic visits to Lebanon, signaling a potential renewal of strong historical ties. The most notable among these visits was by Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi foreign minister, who visited Beirut last Thursday-marking the first such visit in 15 years. These visits reflect the GCC’s support for Lebanon’s newly elected President Joseph Aoun and his chosen prime minister, Nawaf Salam, a move that suggests Lebanon is pivoting away from its previous pro-Iran alignment.

During his visit, Prince Faisal emphasized the necessity of implementing long-overdue political and economic reforms, which had been stalled for more than two years due to Hezbollah’s entrenched influence. He stressed that enacting these reforms would bolster global confidence in Lebanon’s governance and economy. His statements were echoed by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya and GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi, both of whom visited Beirut shortly after Faisal’s trip. Kuwait, currently holding the rotating presidency of the GCC, has been a key player in efforts to rekindle the long-standing GCC-Lebanon relationship.

President Aoun, elected on January 9, pledged to prioritize strengthening Lebanon’s partnerships with the Gulf states. His commitment was underscored by his announcement that his first official foreign visit would be to Saudi Arabia, reaffirming Lebanon’s interest in revitalizing bilateral cooperation. At last week’s press conference, Aoun expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its role in ending Lebanon’s prolonged presidential crisis, a sentiment that highlights the GCC’s influential role in Lebanon’s political stabilization.

Lebanon’s ties with the GCC frayed over the past two decades, largely due to Hezbollah’s growing dominance in the country’s political and economic spheres. Hezbollah’s close ties to Iran dictated Lebanon’s foreign policy, leading to increasing tensions with Gulf states.........

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