Lebanon: President Aoun warns against chaos as country grapples with financial crisis

Cairo: Lebanese President Michel Aoun has warned against chaos as the country grapples with its worst financial crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.

“I fear danger besetting the country. But I will hand over a country better than what it was when I took office. But I fear that the cost will be very high, probably chaos before this,” the 86-year-old president was quoted by Al Jadid TV.

The presidential term of Aoun, an ex-military commander, ends next year.

New government

He has recently got locked in a spat with prime minister-designate Rafik Al Hariri, who has failed to form a new government.

Aoun regretted becoming a president. “I have not expected to be constrained like this,” he said. “A while ago, I told my wife: I wish I had inherited my grandpa’s garden and did not work as a president,” he added.

Last August, Lebanon saw a deadly explosion at the Beirut port that also devastated large parts of the city and fuelled public outrage against the country’s ruling class.