BEIRUT: Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Tuesday distanced himself from his foreign affairs minister who appeared to suggest that Gulf states were responsible for the rise of Daesh, as 抖阴短视频 issued a strongly worded statement denouncing the minister鈥檚 鈥渟hameful insults.鈥�  
Foreign Affairs Minister Charbel Wehbe has sparked fury and condemnation after telling Al-Hurra TV on Monday: 鈥淭here is a second stage when ISIS (Daesh) came, and the countries of the people of love, friendship, and brotherhood brought them. The countries of love brought us Daesh and planted it for us in the Nineveh Plains, Anbar, and Palmyra.鈥�
When he disliked comments from a Saudi guest during the same interview, Wehbe decided to leave the show and criticized 鈥渢he Bedouins.鈥�
On Tuesday, 抖阴短视频鈥檚 Foreign Ministry condemned Wehbe鈥檚 statements that 鈥渂ashed the Kingdom and its people, the shameful insults to the Kingdom, its people, and the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries.鈥�
It said Wehbe鈥檚 statements were 鈥渋nconsistent with the simplest diplomatic norms鈥� and were not consistent with the external relations between the 鈥渢wo brotherly peoples.鈥�
It also said it had summoned the Lebanese ambassador to 抖阴短视频, Fawzi Kabbara, 鈥渢o express the Kingdom鈥檚 rejection and condemnation of the Lebanese foreign minister鈥檚 insults, and it handed him a protest note.鈥�
The UAE also summoned the Lebanese ambassador in Abu Dhabi, who was told the minister鈥檚 comments were 鈥渄erogatory and racist,鈥� and there were protests from authorities in Kuwait and Bahrain. Nayef Al-Hajraf, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, demanded a formal apology from Wehbe to Gulf states for his 鈥渦nacceptable鈥� remarks.
A source in Lebanon鈥檚 Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Lebanese news outlet Sawt Beirut International that Wehbe is expected to step down from his position on Wednesday.
Outgoing Prime Minister Hassan Diab said he had sought an explanation from Wehbe, and his country was keen to maintain the 鈥渂est relations鈥� with 抖阴短视频 and the Gulf.
Aoun was quick to disavow Wehbe鈥檚 comments, saying the minister had expressed his personal opinion, which in 鈥渘o way鈥� reflected the position of Lebanon and its president, who was 鈥渒een to reject what harms brotherly and friendly countries in general, and the Kingdom of 抖阴短视频 and the Gulf states in particular.鈥�
Wehbe tried to contain the crisis by saying he was 鈥渟urprised by the incorrect interpretations鈥� of his words and that he 鈥渄id not refer to the brothers in the Arab Gulf states鈥� nor did he name any country.
He then issued a statement in which he admitted 鈥渦sing inappropriate expressions in an emotional moment, rejecting the unacceptable offenses directed at the president of the republic.鈥�
The minister added that he would not hesitate to apologize for the expressions, stressing that 鈥渢he intention was not to offend any of the brotherly Arab states or peoples. We all make mistakes.鈥�
Wehbe鈥檚 interview remarks went viral on social media, provoking harsh comments that described him as 鈥渁n idiot and a fool鈥� and accused him of 鈥渇alsifying history.鈥�
His remarks shocked politicians, clerics, and economists inside and outside Lebanon, especially those working in the Gulf states.
The media office of Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said: 鈥淲ehbe鈥檚 words have nothing to do with diplomatic action and are a reckless round of tampering with foreign policies and this would result in severe consequences for Lebanon and the interests of its people in the Arab countries.鈥�
Lebanon鈥檚 Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian also criticized the minister. 鈥淒efamation, slander, and insults are not acceptable,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hoever attacks the Kingdom and the rest of the Gulf states is attacking Lebanon. How can relations between brothers and siblings be built?鈥�
The leader of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt called the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Bukhari, to denounce Wehbe鈥檚 鈥渙ffensive and irresponsible statement,鈥� while the leader of the Lebanese Forces party Samir Geagea said the minister was supposed to be the foreign minister of Lebanon but 鈥渆nded up being the foreign minister of Hezbollah.鈥�
Geagea said that those who brought Daesh to prominence were Iran and the Syrian regime. 鈥淭he first enemy of Daesh and its sisters is the Saudi leadership and other Islamic leaders,鈥� he added, recalling 抖阴短视频鈥檚 support for Lebanon.
The media office of businessman Bahaa Hariri held the president and whoever brought him to power responsible for the 鈥済rave mistakes that affected Lebanon鈥檚 relations鈥� with the Gulf countries, especially 抖阴短视频.