A political settlement is likely to be reached between the country's rival leaders to resolve the paralysis of parliament after Speaker Nabih Berri said he reached an “initial understanding” with Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan to pass urgent draft-laws.

Parliament has been unable to legislate over the boycott of several blocs, including the March 14 alliance's lawmakers and Change and Reform MPs. The paralysis is linked to the presidential deadlock.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed regret over the deep political rift in Lebanon as party leaders so far failed to elect a new head of state and overcome their “individual interests.”

He stressed as he spoke to journalists at the world body’s New York Headquarters, days ahead of opening the high-level segment of the 69th General Assembly session, that a new head of state should be elected to surpass the many challenges facing the country.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday announced that a political “deal” to extend the parliament's mandate has been already reached among the various parties, noting that Lebanon cannot join an international coalition that might be aimed at confronting another coalition.

“My nomination has been submitted and all options are on the table. If today's statements turn out to be true, then there will be an extension of the parliament's term as we were expecting, but we have submitted our nominations in order not to leave anything to chance,” Aoun said in an interview on OTV, only hours before the deadline to file candidacies ended.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam on Tuesday stressed that the government and army will continue to fight “takfiri terrorism,” as newly-inaugurated Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan underlined that Dar al-Fatwa will not “allow anyone to hijack religion” and described arms as the biggest problem in the country.

“In my capacity as prime minister and head of the Islamic electoral council, and in the name of Muslims, I declare Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan the Grand Mufti of the republic,” said Salam at an inauguration ceremony at the Mohammed al-Amin Mosque.

The Change and Reform bloc renewed on Tuesday its rejection of the extension of parliament's term for a second time, voicing its readiness to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Former minister Salim Jreissati announced after the bloc's weekly meeting: “We will take part in the elections despite the legal violations.”

The army on Tuesday arrested three Syrians who belong to a terrorist group in the Bekaa region of Baalbek, pressing on with a crackdown that started in the wake of the deadly Arsal clashes with jihadist militants.

“Army intelligence agents apprehended three Syrian members of an armed terrorist group near Iaat's intersection on the international highway” of Baalbek, state-run National News Agency reported.

Lebanese Forces MP Georges Adwan announced on Tuesday the party's readiness to take part in legislative sessions aimed at addressing pressing issues.

He said: “We advocate tackling pressing affairs, such as the new wage scale.”

The Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front on Tuesday threatened to execute captive Lebanese army soldier Mohammed Maarouf Hamiyeh over what it called the army's “persecution” of Syrian refugees and “procrastination” in the negotiations between the group and Lebanese authorities.

“Let everyone know that the path of negotiations was not blocked by us and that we do not have crippling demands as they are claiming,” the Front said in an “urgent statement” on one of its official Twitter accounts.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq headed on Tuesday a meeting for the Central Security Council to discuss the readiness of security forces to oversee security during the upcoming parliamentary elections.

The meeting, according to the state-run National News Agency, focused on the security situation in the country ahead of the polls that are expected to be staged in November.

Al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front released on Tuesday a Lebanese man, several days after it kidnapped him for allegedly “disagreeing” with the terrorist group's political views, the state-run National News Agency said.

Hujeiri, who is also known as Ahmed Hadiya, hails from the northeastern border town of Arsal.