Saudi Foreign Ministry adviser Prince Yazid bin Farhan held a series of high-level meetings in Beirut on Thursday, as Saudi Arabia continues its diplomatic engagement with Lebanon amid efforts to support the country through its political and economic challenges.

Prince bin Farhan, who arrived earlier in the morning at around 8:30 a.m. at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, was received later in the day by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Palace.

According to a statement, the two held a broad-ranging discussion on Lebanon’s current situation in light of recent regional and domestic developments, with particular emphasis on Saudi Arabia’s role in helping Lebanon navigate its ongoing crises and difficult conditions.

The Saudi envoy also met Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri at his residence in Ain al-Tineh, where talks similarly focused on the latest political and regional developments.

According to informed political sources cited by Al-Markazia, Saudi Arabia has been actively engaged from the outset in the diplomatic efforts that helped secure the ceasefire. Riyadh, the sources said, played a key mediating role and was instrumental in persuading the United States to pressure Israel into agreeing to halt hostilities. In this context, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun publicly thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his role in supporting the truce.

Saudi engagement, however, has continued beyond the ceasefire itself. The sources said the Kingdom is now closely monitoring Lebanese-Israeli talks held under US sponsorship, which are widely seen as laying the groundwork for potential direct negotiations between Beirut and Jerusalem.

In parallel with the Beirut visit, Prince Yazid bin Farhan was in Paris in recent hours as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to extend the fragile ceasefire and limit Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon. Both objectives, the sources said, are considered essential prerequisites for any further political or security talks between the two sides.

The diplomatic activity also reflects a broader pattern of coordination between Beirut and Riyadh. Earlier this week, Lebanese presidential adviser Brig. Gen. André Rahal visited Saudi Arabia, a move described by the same sources as evidence of sustained and structured coordination between the two countries.

While relations between the presidential palace in Baabda, the Grand Serail and Riyadh are described as being at a high point, Saudi officials are also working to build a broader Lebanese consensus around the emerging diplomatic track.

As part of this effort, Saudi Arabia recently hosted Lebanese Deputy Parliament Speaker Ali Hassan Khalil, during which it reaffirmed support for the Taif Agreement and Lebanon’s civil peace, while also encouraging backing for the positions of President Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Bin Farhan’s visit to Beirut is expected to extend that outreach. He is scheduled to meet senior Lebanese officials and political leaders, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, whom he already met earlier in the day at Ain al-Tineh.

According to the sources, Saudi officials are acutely aware that the absence of Shiite political backing for negotiations and for the principle of confining weapons to the state remains one of the key obstacles to advancing the talks.

Bin Farhan is therefore expected to press Berri to adopt a more flexible stance, particularly in light of the fact that a ceasefire has already been achieved. The sources questioned the rationale for rejecting direct negotiations while insisting on indirect mechanisms that they described as outdated. They added that even if full endorsement is not possible, outright rejection or public attacks on proponents of the diplomatic process would risk further complicating the situation.

Saudi Arabia, the sources concluded, remains heavily invested in efforts to stabilise Lebanon and steer it toward a recovery path, while hoping Lebanese political actors will match that engagement with corresponding unity and responsibility.