Nasrallah, 49, has headed Hizbullah since 1992 when his predecessor, Abbas Moussawi, was killed in an Israeli helicopter raid.

A statement by the party, created in 1982, had said Nasrallah would explain the contents of the manifesto at a press conference to be announced soon.

Nasrallah had lived in hiding since the 2006 war between his group and Israel and rarely appears in public.

Hizbullah's first manifesto in 1985 called for the establishment of Islamic rule in Lebanon, but the party leadership has toned down its rhetoric in recent years as it gained political clout.

The new political document endorsed modifications in line with changes that have taken place within Hizbullah in recent years.

Hizbullah is the only party that has refused to surrender its weapons following Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war on grounds that its arsenal is needed to defend the country against Israeli aggression.