BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri denied Monday that he has received a $2 billion loan from Saudi Arabia.

A front-page article in Monday's edition of Al-Akhbar newspaper claimed that Riyadh has rescued Hariri from bankruptcy.

“A few days ago, Saad Hariri was bankrupt. Today, he [is] a billionaire. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia altered the situation profoundly with a few words: 'Saad Hariri is granted an interest-free loan of 7 billion riyals for Saudi Oger',” Al-Akhbar wrote, referring to a company owned by the Hariri family. 7 billion Saudi Arabian riyals is approximately $1.87 billion.

Hariri's press office immediately issued a denial.

"The pro-Hezbollah Al-Akhbar report, both in its title and details, is unfounded and baseless,” said the statement from Hariri’s office.

In a swipe at Hezbollah's financial ties to Iran, the statement added: “We understand the political and media confusion that has prevailed over Hezbollah due to assertions made in public by its secretary general [Nasrallah] that he has been receiving funds from Iran since the early eighties.”