paris president emmanuel macron initiative bring lebanon saad al-hariri paris put france center power struggle sunni saudi arabia shi ite iran test policy neutrality critics doubt sustain move ease regional tensions spike prime minister resignation nov. also expose difficulty macron state position take side middle east macron put neck lebanon say european diplomat want name talk ally policies bite like moment truth hariri saudi ally arrive france saturday days announce resignation riyadh accuse iran lebanese ally hezbollah create strife many lebanese believe saudis make quit president michel aoun accept resignation hariri expect return beirut wednesday lebanon celebrate end france colonial mandate 1943. macron maneuver come visit saudi crown prince mohammed bin salman flurry call appear take foreign ministry surprise example penchant bypass state organs show charge much like former leader nicolas sarkozy far symbolic victory french diplomacy enable reduction tensions say stephane malsagne lecturer sciences po university paris add risky gamble could antagonize side macron set foreign policy objectives region first speech diplomatic corps august say want france maintain balance position achieve goal fight terrorism make mistake would impose choice shi ites sunnis sense force us lock one camp say time french diplomats say macron find difficult appease everyone however lebanon maintain delicate sectarian balance sunnis shi ites christians druze fight civil war 1975 1990 factions often back regional rival hariri sunni muslim president aoun political ally hezbollah christian hariri government power-sharing coalition form last year include shi ite hezbollah mediation introduction new french political role lebanon ... french attempt find foothold start lebanon region say senior lebanese official speak condition anonymity shadow big players u.s. russia iran saudi arabia region french face difficulties since hariri announce resignation saudi arabia accuse lebanon declare war cite hezbollah role fight arab countries france long history commercial political social link iran even saw ayatollah ruhollah khomenei exile near paris 1979 arguably demand six power negotiate 2015 nuclear accord presidents sarkozy francois hollande align qatar saudi arabia respectively hawkish shift toward tehran since deal paris quick restore trade tie planemaker airbus oil major total automobile manufacturers peugeot renault sign deal rapprochement annoy riyadh move close unite state president donald trump reassure saudis ... rebalance things prince salman go overdrive dangerous everyone need love us say one french diplomat ask identify tehran chafe turn france warm saudi tie appear good relationship israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu due paris dec. 10 second time since macron take office may recent rhetoric reflect tensions news conference friday macron say iran clarify go ballistic missile program seem uncontrolled follow news conference riyadh thursday foreign minister jean-yves le drian denounce tehran hegemonic temptations saturday ali akbar velayati senior adviser iran supreme leader tell macron stay affairs le drian push back plan visit tehran talk macron may visit next year become mute speak side noble policy region come tumble le drian macron go tehran credibility depend say second french diplomat hardline politicians iran criticize president hassan rouhani try strengthen tie paris say europeans endanger interest face u.s. pressure senior iranian official say macron policy balance ultimately offer mix signal talk curb iran defensive missile work criticize iran regional policy want build close tie official say france clearly announce side paris take .... like expand relations paris send mix signal trust macron score diplomatic coup lebanon balance act test