The visiting head of Iranian parliament's foreign policy committee discussed on Tuesday with top Lebanese officials and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah the latest developments in the region.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, who is the chairman of the committee for foreign policy and national security of the Iranian parliament, arrived in Beirut on Monday and went into separate talks with Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier-designate Tammam Salam.

An Iranian delegation held talks on Monday with Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam, stressing the Islamic republic's support for national unity in Lebanon.

Chairman for the Committee for Foreign Policy and National Security of the Islamic parliament of Iran Alaeddin Boroujerdi noted after meeting Salam: “Stability and calm in Lebanon will serve security and stability in the region.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat hailed on Monday Speaker Nabih Berri's recent initiative to end the political deadlock in Lebanon, saying that he has long expressed his keenness on dialogue among the Lebanese.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa website: “The PSP backs every call for dialogue because it will help prevent Lebanon from falling into the abyss.”

Speaker Nabih Berri has expressed relief that his new “roadmap” to end Lebanon's political crisis had received positive reaction from the people but said it was still early for politicians to have their say on it.

In remarks to two newspapers published on Monday, Berri said: “I am very satisfied with the people's positive reaction.”

An al-Mustaqbal movement official criticized Speaker Nabih Berri on Saturday for allegedly ignoring U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 and “confiscating” the authorities of President Michel Suleiman.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published on Sunday, the official, who was not identified, said a speech made by Berri a day earlier had loopholes mainly over the legitimacy of the weapons of the army and the resistance in the South.

Speaker Nabih Berri on Saturday suggested holding a five-day dialogue retreat to discuss pending issues in the country.

“I suggest to President Michel Suleiman setting a roadmap that would get the country out of the current crisis and it includes holding a five-day dialogue retreat that would discuss the formation of the cabinet and its policy statement ,” Berri said in a televised speech he gave in the 35th memory of the disappearance of the spiritual leader Moussa al-Sadr.

Speaker Nabih Berri is scheduled to make speech on Saturday afternoon to mark the 35th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Moussa Sadr and his two companions, reported al-Liwaa newspaper on Saturday.

Parliamentary sources revealed that the speaker is expected to announce that “he no longer seeks to be politically affiliated with any authority in Lebanon, especially the March 8 and 14 camps.”

Speaker Nabih Berri warned on Friday that Lebanon would fail to confront the consequences of large-scale U.S. military strikes against Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime over its alleged use of chemical weapons.

In remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper, Berri said: “If the strike was limited, then we could contain its repercussions.”

The country's top officials are discussing ways to expand the authorities of the resigned government to confront the political, security and economic challenges amid the failure to form a new cabinet, a ministerial source said Thursday.

The source told al-Akhbar newspaper that President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati and several other officials are mulling to expand the powers of the caretaker cabinet to allow it to take a series of measures amid deteriorating security and economic conditions.

Speaker Nabih Berri considered on Wednesday that Lebanese parties shouldn't depend on an “expected” attack on Syria by Western countries to achieve personal gains locally.

“There are principles that organize the ties between the Lebanese and they can't be modified,” Berri said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.