Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador to Germany for consultations on Saturday after its foreign minister criticized attempts to destabilize Lebanon, local media said.

CAIRO (Sputnik) — The SPA, a Saudi state news agency, cited its source in the Gulf monarchy’s Foreign Ministry as saying that a note of protest would be issued to the German ambassador.

German foreign policy chief Sigmar Gabriel warned Thursday against attempts to destabilize Lebanon after meeting his Lebanese counterpart Gebran Bassil in Berlin.

The publication said Saudi Arabia regarded Gabriel’s remarks as ill-thought-through, misinformed and damaging for the stability in the Middle East.

Lebanon has lately been engulfed in political crisis. On November 4, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation while on a trip to Saudi Arabia, expressing fear that he could be assassinated, like his father, in Lebanon.

Hariri accused Lebanon's Hezbollah movement and Iran of attempts to destabilize the country and the Middle East. Lebanese President Michel Aoun suggested he was held up by the Saudis.

Earlier today Hariri said he was on his way to the Riyadh airport, a day after he was invited to come to France. Hariri has been in the Saudi capital for two weeks after his unexpected resignation announcement. The Lebanese president has accused the Saudis of holding him against his will.

"To say that I am held up in Saudi Arabia and not allowed to leave the country is a lie. I am on the way to the airport," Hariri tweeted.