Lebanon's resigned prime minister Saad Hariri said on Sunday that he has "excellent" ties with Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in a television interview from Riyadh.

Hariri appeared to be trying to put to rest rumours swirling since his shock resignation on November 4 that the Saudi crown prince had pressured him to step down. 

"Really, I consider him a brother and he considers me a brother. It's an excellent and special relationship," Hariri told Future TV.