The ruling authority in Lebanon reportedly received new “strongly worded” international “criticism” which was reflected in unfavorable negative signals from the international financial institutions towards Lebanon, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat on Friday said he opposes Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s call for economic cooperation with Iran.

“The Iranian economic model is not convincing,” Jumblat said.

Lebanese national Qassem Tajeddine, who is held in the U.S. on charges of financing Hizbullah, will be released soon, Nizar Zakka said on Friday.

In remarks to LBCI TV, Zakka said he had called Tajeddine’s family weeks ago to inform him that the man will be released as part of a swap deal.

Cyprus further eased its coronavirus entry restrictions Friday, adding hard-hit EU partners Italy and Spain, and nearby Lebanon, to a list of countries allowed entry, but holding back on its two biggest markets.

Flights will now be allowed from over 30 countries across two categories, up from 19 when a commercial passenger flight ban ended earlier this month.

Lebanon on Friday confirmed 15 more COVID-19 cases, raising the overall tally to 1,510.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab held talks Friday with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at the latter’s residence in Ain el-Tineh.

LBCI television said the meeting was “part of consultations between the legislative and executive authorities.”

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea replied on Friday to Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, urging him to “initiate the first step” and request help for Lebanon’s ailing economy from countries in the East he said were ready to provide Lebanon with assistance.

Henri Chaoul, the financial adviser working with Lebanon’s government in talks with the International Monetary Fund, submitted his resignation, the media office of Foreign Minister Ghazi Wazni announced on Friday.

None of the political figures that Speaker Nabih Berri has met over the past few days confirmed their participation or not in the upcoming talks in Baabda.

A spokesman for the International Monetary Fund said the ongoing negotiations with Lebanon are “complex” and require a joint diagnosis of the source and magnitude of the financial losses, noting on the other hand that the GDP may contract “deeper-than-expected" in the second quarter of 2020.