BEIRUT, Lebanon: Saudi Arabia lifted a five-year ban on Lebanese imports, signaling a further improvement in relations between Lebanon and Gulf countries after years of diplomatic tensions.

The kingdom imposed a ban on Lebanese fruits and vegetables in 2021, saying they were being used to smuggle drugs into Saudi Arabia. In one high-profile case, Saudi authorities said they had seized more than 5 million Captagon pills hidden inside a shipment of pomegranates from Lebanon.

Later that year, Saudi Arabia expanded the restrictions to cover all Lebanese products after then-Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi publicly criticized the kingdom's military campaign against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.

The diplomatic dispute was rooted in Saudi Arabia's rivalry with Iran and concerns over the influence of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. The trade ban came as Lebanon was already grappling with a severe financial crisis and the collapse of its currency.

In a statement, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said the decision to lift the ban was ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and followed "positive steps taken by the Lebanese state."

The ministry did not elaborate on those steps. However, over the past year, Lebanese authorities have announced plans to disarm all non-state groups, including Hezbollah. Before the outbreak of the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, the Lebanese army had made progress implementing the plan in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed the move and thanked Prince Mohammed for the decision.

The lifting of the ban "will contribute tangibly to reviving the national economy and providing support to broad segments of Lebanese producers and exporters," Aoun said in a statement.

Lebanon's current government, which took office last year on a reform agenda, has been working to strengthen ties with Gulf nations.

Before the outbreak of the latest war, Lebanese officials had been encouraging Gulf tourists to return to the country as part of efforts to support economic recovery. Several Gulf states had also eased travel restrictions that previously barred their citizens from visiting Lebanon.