Newly-appointed Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammed Fathali reiterated on Tuesday that his country is ready to provide Lebanese security agencies with all the necessary aid, stressing that the Lebanese presidential poll is a local affair.

“We have announced since day one that we are ready to cooperate with the Lebanese army and all security agencies on high levels,” Fathali said in an interview with As Safir newspaper.

Head of the international tribunal's defense office Francois Roux assigned a Lebanese lawyer to defend the accused in the case against Akhbar Beirut S.A.L. and its editor-in-chief Ibrahim al-Amin.

Al-Akhabr newspaper reported on Tuesday that Lebanese lawyer Antonios F. Abou Kasm will defend the journalist and the media organization, which are charged with contempt for knowingly and willfully interfering with the administration of justice.

Bkirki is engaged in a battle to elect a new head of state only and rejects to interfere in details that impede the poll as the Maronite Patriarch is holding onto his decision that all matters should be postponed until the parliament selects a president.

A source close to Bkirki refused to comment on Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun's proposal.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq said the security situation in the country is “very fragile” as officials warned that terrorists are plotting attacks in Beirut's southern suburbs and on a security base using explosives-laden trucks.

In remarks to As Safir daily published on Tuesday, al-Mashnouq said the army and security agencies – Internal Security Forces and General Security – are doing an excellent “coordination” work.

Saudi security officials are in Beirut to follow up the results of the investigation into the Duroy Hotel blast last week which was carried out by a Saudi suicide bomber, An Nahar daily reported Tuesday.

Pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat said Friday that the delegation's visit is aimed at identifying the suicide bomber. But according to An Nahar, the officials would only seek information on the probe.

Three booby-trapped cars were discovered in Syria's Qalamoun plains on the border with Lebanon, among them two with Lebanese license plates, Syria's state TV announced on Monday afternoon.

The cars were found in Qalamoun's Wadi al-Hossayn region, the TV network noted.

Two people were killed and several others were wounded in an armed clash Monday at the Shatila Palestinian refugee camp in southern Beirut.

“Palestinian nationals Wael al-Tull and Jamil al-Issawi, 73, were killed and several people were injured in clashes between a Palestinian group and another loyal to Nasser al-Droubi and the al-Zir family at Shatila camp's peripheries,” state-run National News Agency reported.

The Kataeb Party criticized on Monday Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun's proposals to end the country's deadlock over the presidential and parliamentary elections, deeming them “impossible” demands.

It said after its weekly politburo meeting: “Ending the crisis does not require impossible proposals, which will only exacerbate the situation.”

The shadowy Free Sunnis of Baalbek Brigade on Monday pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the chief of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, a day after the powerful jihadist group declared an “Islamic caliphate” led by Baghdadi.

“With utmost honor and pride, we announce our allegiance to the jihadist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as a caliph for Muslims,” the Brigade announced on its Twitter account.

Former Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Monday lashed out at Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun's suggestion to end the presidential impasse, considering it a “coup.”

"The proposal put forward by General Michel Aoun to amend the constitution to elect a president by the people and to allow each sect to vote for its own MPs at parliament is a real coup,” Miqati said in a released statement.