Speaker Nabih Berri has stressed that he backed the candidacy of Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh despite the Lebanese Forces endorsement of Change and Reform bloc chief lawmaker Michel Aoun for the presidency, al-Akhbar daily reported Tuesday.

Sources close to Berri told the newspaper that the speaker will not announce his official stance before carefully studying the latest deal struck between LF chief Samir Geagea and Aoun.

Maronite Bishop Boulos Sayah has said that Bkirki was awaiting the reaction of the Lebanese factions from Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea's endorsement of the candidacy of Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun.

“We are waiting to see following this move how the rest of the partners in the nation, who used to say that the ball is in the court of Christians, would react,” Sayah told al-Joumhouria daily published on Tuesday.

Al-Mustaqbal Movement officials were in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to hold talks with former Prime Minister Saad Hariri following the Lebanese Forces backing for Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun for the presidency.

Several newspapers said that a delegation from al-Mustaqbal traveled to Riyadh on Monday night.

Israel's military chief has said that the Iranian nuclear deal and the lifting of sanctions that followed present Israel with "grave dangers,” adding that Tehran's funding for Hizbullah will increase notably in the coming years.

Iran’s “advanced military industry” will develop further, and its transfer of funds to Hizbullah, which has so far stood at around a billion dollar a year, will increase, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot said Monday.

Head of the Marada Movement held talks on Monday night with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in wake of Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea’s nomination of Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun as president.

Franjieh tweeted after the talks: “I am still going ahead with my candidacy for the presidency.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced on Monday his support for his rival Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun as president after weeks of speculation.

He declared during a joint press conference with the MP at Maarab: “I declare, after thorough assessment among the LF, the nomination of MP Michel Aoun as president.”

The Kataeb Party criticized on Monday the stalling in the appointments of members of the military council.

It said in a statement after its weekly politburo meeting: “We reject the politicization of the appointments.”

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi submitted to the cabinet on Monday a draft project on the release from jail of former Minister Michel Samaha.

The draft calls for the referral of the former minister to the judicial council.

Head of the Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Fouad Saniora stressed on Monday the need to elect a new head of state, saying that the presidency is not a strictly Christian affair.

He said after holding talks at Bkirki with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi: “We urge against taking rushed stances over the elections.”

The Saudi grant that was approved in 2013 in the wake of the Arsal clashes seems to be frozen after reports said that Riyadh has halted the transfer of funds, As Safir daily reported on Monday.

The fate of the second Saudi grant, worth $1bn, that the kingdom tasked al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri with supervising following the Arsal battles is now unknown after Riyadh's abstention from transferring the funds.