In a stunning change of heart Saad al-Hariri, the Lebanese prime minister, has said he was wrong to accuse Syria of murdering his father, Rafiq al-Hariri, the late Lebanese prime minister.

It was Lebanese anger towards Syria after the bombing in which Rafiq was killed in 2005 that led to the Cedar Revolution and the end of Syria's military presence in Lebanon.

But recently relations between the two countries have improved and now al-Hariri has dramatically changed track.

The about-turn will come as a relief to international players, including the US and Saudi Arabia, who have been working to bring Syria in from the cold.

But why now? Who is behind it? And where does it leave the investigation into Rafiq al-Hariri's death?

Inside Story, with presenter Shiulie Gosh, discusses with Saleh Machnouk, a writer and political analyst, George Jabbour, a former advisor to Hafez al-Assad, the late Syrian president, and Lamis Andoni, a Middle East analyst who has written extensively on the politics surrounding the investigation into the murder of the Lebanese prime minister.

This episode of Inside Story aired from Tuesday, September 7.