Five days after the surprise resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the Lebanese public is still waiting for his return to Lebanon in order to understand the reason behind his decision that took the public by surprise. (For more on this, see my article the day after the resignation here and further comments about what to expect here .)

While pro-Hezbollah Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar described him as a hostage (image below), the New York Times simply asked: Where is Saad Hariri? Lebanon wants to know . The article mentioned that while

Lebanon is used to affronts to its sovereignty...no one has seen anything quite like the spectacle that has played out over the past few days. Saad Hariri, the prime minister, who had previously shown no signs of planning to quit, unexpectedly flew to Saudi Arabia and announced his resignation from there, to the shock of his own close advisers. He has not been back since, and no one is sure when, or if, he is returning.

On Thursday November 9, Reuters quoted three sources stating that Hariri is being held by Riyadh, and Beirut plans to work with foreign states to secure his return (first source); that Saudi Arabia had ordered him to resign and put him under house arrest (second source, a senior politician close to Saudi-allied Hariri); and that Saudi Arabia was controlling and limiting his movement (third source familiar with the situation).

On the other hand, the report mentions that Saudi Arabia and members of Hariris Future Movement have denied reports that he is under house arrest. But he has put out no statements himself denying his movements are being restricted.

One theory that was reported (image below) by Saudi-owned Al-Arabiyya , later cross-published on Kataeb.org and the Lebanese Forces website , is based on an Iranian website - Amadnews - it described as reformist.

The report states that the Iranian Supreme Leaders advisor, Ali Akbar Velayati, who was on a state visit to Lebanon last week, met with Hariri and tried to coerce him into implementing what Tehran demanded in support of Hezbollah or else Lebanon would see a great mess, and Hariri would meet his father's fate (Rafiq Hariri died in a terrorist attack on February 14, 2005).