beirut lebanon believe saad al-hariri hold saudi arabia resign lebanese prime minister two top government officials beirut say amid deepen crisis push lebanon onto frontlines power struggle saudi arabia iran third source senior politician close saudi-allied hariri say saudi arabia order resign put house arrest fourth source familiar situation say saudi arabia control limit movement televise statement indicate deep concern hariri situation future movement political party say return home necessary uphold lebanese system describe prime minister national leader hariri resignation last saturday read television saudi arabia come shock even aid embroil beirut regional contest riyadh tehran hariri exit fuel wide speculation sunni muslim politician long ally riyadh coerce step saudi arabia seek hit back iran lebanese shi ite ally hezbollah resignation speech hariri denounce iran hezbollah sow strife arab state say fear assassination father former prime minister kill bomb 2005. saudi arabia deny report house arrest hariri issue statements effect deny movements restrict keep hariri restrict freedom riyadh attack lebanese sovereignty dignity dignity work foreign state return beirut say senior lebanese official speak condition anonymity government yet declare position saudi arabia say hariri resign hezbollah include hariri coalition government hijack lebanon political system hariri aid thursday deny house arrest take dramatically different tone meet future movement convene hariri beirut residence thursday statement read former prime minister fouad siniora say return necessary recover respect lebanon internal external balance framework full respect lebanese legitimacy hariri aunt bahia sit next siniora read statement party stand behind leadership say hariri come office last year political deal make hezbollah-allied christian politician michel aoun head state produce coalition government group lebanese party include hezbollah saudi arabia bless government time fiercely critical hariri-led government since step say fail act hezbollah whose guerrilla army far powerful weak state saudi arabia want hariri take tough stance toward hezbollah fail fourth source say function business usual saudis accelerate process force resignation saudi arabia week lump lebanon together hezbollah party hostile break long-established policy draw line raise concern saudi measure hariri fly saudi arabia last friday top lebanese government official speak condition anonymity say lebanon head toward ask foreign arab state put pressure saudi arabia release prime minister saad al-hariri official say hariri still lebanon prime minister echo lebanese government officials say resignation receive aoun government therefore remain place resignation hariri business tycoon whose family make fortune saudi arabia happen time wave arrest saudi princes businessmen accuse corruption crown prince mohammed bin salman senior lebanese politician close hariri say go saudi arabia ask stay order resign order read resignation statement hold house arrest since two u.s. officials say saudis lead crown prince mohammed encourage hariri leave office fourth source say control movement saudis limit movement hezbollah parliamentary bloc say saudi arabia must halt interference lebanese affairs make one-day fly visit unite arab emirates close saudi ally early week return saudi arabia hariri office say statement receive french ambassador saudi arabia riyadh residence thursday also meet head eu mission saudi arabia wednesday tuesday british ambassador u.s. charge affaires state department spokeswoman heather nauert confirm u.s. charge affaires chris henzel meet hariri ask report hariri hold saudi arabia nauert decline elaborate status discuss call talk sensitive private diplomatic conversations nauert indicate unite state would treat lebanese government differently result uncertainty hariri saudi arabia warn citizens thursday travel lebanon say already leave issue similar advice lebanon citizens lebanon maronite patriarch visit saudi arabia next week receive positive response saudi officials possibility see hariri spokesman say patriarch beshara al-rai visit decide long time ago light developments mission become national walid ghayyad say patriarch take message kingdom lebanon handle conflict exclusive lebanon believe saudi hold hariri demand return