Dubai: Former Lebanese justice minister Ashraf Rifi said on Thursday that he is no longer in the main Sunni Future Movement bloc led by Sa’ad Hariri, but said that he will continue to defend the political path of Sa’ad’s father, the late prime minister Rafik Hariri.

“I am not in the Future movement, but I am a fierce fighter in defence of political Harirism,” Al Nahar cited Rifi as saying.

Rifi’s comments came after a visit to Grand Mufti of the Republic Abdul Latif Deryan at Dar Al Fatwa.

“I do not resemble this government and I will never withdraw my resignation,” he added.

Rifi resigned in February from the government in wake of the release of former minister Michel Samaha from jail and at Hezbollah’s verbal attacks against Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.