Khamenei's Aide Says New Lebanese President Must Enjoy 'Consent' of All Parties

Lebanon's new president should enjoy the “consent” of all Lebanese parties, a top adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced Monday after talks in Beirut.

“We held a good, constructive and friendly meeting with Prime Minister Tammam Salam … and he has run the country in a good manner through his wisdom,” Ali Akbar Velayati, Khamenei's adviser on international affairs, said after the talks at the Grand Serail.

“He informed us that the release of the Lebanese servicemen is imminent and we hope they will be freed tonight,” Velayati added.

He was referring to ongoing negotiations between Lebanese authorities and the Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front over a prisoner swap deal involving 16 Lebanese troops and policemen who were abducted in 2014 from the northeastern border town of Arsal.

“Hopes over the election of a president for the Lebanese republic have increased and are promising,” Velayati added.

“We discussed the difficult and dangerous circumstances in the region and the current events on the Lebanese arena,” he said.

“We hope we will very soon witness the election of a president who would be accepted and endorsed by all Lebanese parties and all Lebanese people,” the Iranian official added.

His remarks come amid a flurry of political talks in the country between parties from both the March 14 and March 8 camps.

The new momentum followed a meeting that was held in Paris between Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh of the March 8 camp and al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri of the March 14 coalition.

Hariri has also met in Paris with Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat and Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel.

The Franjieh-Hariri meeting has sparked intense speculation that they agreed to the nomination of the Marada chief as president.

Y.R.