Zeina Akar Appointed Lebanon’s Interim Minister of Foreign Affairs

Lebanese President Michel Aoun appointed on Wednesday Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Zeina Akar, as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

Aoun signed Decree No. 7770, deciding to appoint Akar as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, the Lebanese Presidency said on Twitter.

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The appointment was based on the caretaker prime minister Hassan Diab's proposal.

Akar was asked to assume her duties as acting Minister of Foreign Affairs in addition to her original duties as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.

She has replaced Charbel Wehbe who had asked to be relieved of his post for the time being due to comments he made accusing Saudi Arabia of having encouraged the terrorist organization ISIS to expand into Syria, Iraq and Lebanon during an interview.

The president received Wehbe at Baabda Palace where the latter proposed his resignation after the latest crisis over his controversial comments.