WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, on Thursday released the following statement on the resignation of Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri in Lebanon:

“Lebanese leaders have had nine months to put together a new government that can pull the country out of crisis, and now the political process moves back to square one as the economy continues to crater and the Lebanese people suffer. A new government and major reforms are needed to stabilize the country and region as soon as possible. Aid from the United States should be used as leverage to achieve this reform,” said Murphy.

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