Lebanon’s Justice Minister: We Will Not Turn in Salameh 

Lebanon's Central Bank chief Riad Salameh poses during a studio photo session in the capital Beirut, on December 20, 2021. (AFP)
Lebanon's Central Bank chief Riad Salameh poses during a studio photo session in the capital Beirut, on December 20, 2021. (AFP)
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Lebanon’s Justice Minister: We Will Not Turn in Salameh 

Lebanon's Central Bank chief Riad Salameh poses during a studio photo session in the capital Beirut, on December 20, 2021. (AFP)
Lebanon's Central Bank chief Riad Salameh poses during a studio photo session in the capital Beirut, on December 20, 2021. (AFP)

Lebanon’s caretaker Justice Minister Henri Khoury reiterated on Tuesday his call on Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh to resign.

Salameh, 72, is being investigated in Lebanon and at least five European countries for allegedly taking hundreds of millions of dollars from Lebanon's central bank to the detriment of the Lebanese state and laundering the funds abroad.

Germany informed Lebanon it has issued an arrest warrant for Salameh on corruption charges, including forgery, money laundering and embezzlement, a senior judicial source told Reuters on Tuesday.

A second source familiar with the matter confirmed the arrest warrant to Reuters. Salameh has denied any wrongdoing.

It is the second foreign arrest warrant reported to be issued for Salameh within a week. France issued a warrant for his arrest on May 16 after he failed to show up for a Paris court hearing.

On France's request, Interpol issued a Red Notice for Salameh, citing charges of money laundering, fraud and participation in a criminal association with a view to committing offenses punishable by 10 years of imprisonment.

Salameh said he would challenge the French arrest warrant.

Khoury told Asharq Al-Awsat that Salameh must resign given the charges against him. “It is not right for him to remain in his post,” he added.

At the same time, however, the minister said Lebanon will not turn in Salameh to Europe, citing Lebanese laws that bar the handing over of citizens to another country.

Salameh will therefore stand trial in Lebanon, he added.

Salameh was previously charged with corruption in two separate cases in Lebanon, which include formal accusations of embezzlement, money laundering and fraud.

He has denied those charges and said they are politically motivated.

The Munich public prosecutor’s office said it was involved in the case but declined to comment on the arrest warrant. “We never comment on arrest warrants,” a spokesperson for the office told Reuters.

Salameh, who has been central bank governor for 30 years, is facing growing calls to resign ahead of his latest term ending in July, though Lebanon's caretaker Cabinet took no decision on the matter during a Monday meeting that discussed his case.



Iraq’s Sudani Confirms Election Bid, Invites Syria’s al-Sharaa to Arab Summit in Baghdad

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the Sulaymaniyah Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the Sulaymaniyah Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
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Iraq’s Sudani Confirms Election Bid, Invites Syria’s al-Sharaa to Arab Summit in Baghdad

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the Sulaymaniyah Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the Sulaymaniyah Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat) 

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced his intention to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections and confirmed that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has been officially invited to attend the Arab League Summit in Baghdad, scheduled for May 17.

Speaking at the Sulaymaniyah Forum on Wednesday, al-Sudani addressed political leaders and government officials, presenting his government’s accomplishments and vision. He emphasized Iraq’s renewed efforts to assert its role in the Arab world, saying: “We aim to host a successful Arab summit in Baghdad that reflects the country’s strategic importance and provides a platform for addressing critical regional issues”.

Al-Sudani noted that the summit will be an opportunity to build joint mechanisms to deal with shared challenges.

“President Ahmad al-Sharaa is welcome in Baghdad. We’ve extended an official invitation for his participation,” he said.

On regional tensions, particularly between the United States and Iran, al-Sudani stressed the importance of diplomacy.

“We have officially welcomed both direct and indirect negotiations between the two sides, and we hope they lead to peaceful outcomes that serve regional stability,” he underlined.

Turning to domestic politics, al-Sudani confirmed he will run in the November 2025 elections but declined to name the coalition he will represent. He urged voters to distinguish between effective political programs and what he called the “recycling of failed and corrupt agendas.”

He credited the progress of his government to support from key political alliances, particularly the State Administration Coalition and the Coordination Framework.

Meanwhile, Iraqi political parties are beginning to shape their election strategies, following the Electoral Commission’s announcement that it has opened registration for candidate lists. Sources suggest the Coordination Framework may splinter into four main groups due to internal disagreements, though alliances with smaller factions are seen as more viable.

On the sidelines of the forum, al-Sudani met with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani. The two leaders stressed the importance of keeping Iraq neutral amid regional conflicts and supporting peaceful resolutions.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s office said both parties agreed on maintaining strong coordination between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to safeguard national unity and serve Iraq’s long-term interests.