Berri Hopes for Positive 'Nuclear Blast,' Says March 14 Shouldn't Miss 'Golden Opportunity'

Speaker Nabih Berri has expressed optimism that a deal on Iran's nuclear program would have positive effects on Lebanon, reiterating his call on the March 14 alliance to agree to its participation in the government with nine ministers similar to the March 8 coalition.

In remarks to local newspapers published on Tuesday, Berri said: “The region would witness a political nuclear explosion whose shrapnel and effects would reach the entire region, including Lebanon” if world powers agreed on a deal to curb Iran's nuclear program.

“If such a deal is reached, then President Barack Obama's administration would be the first U.S. administration that takes a decision serving the U.S. away from Israeli pressure and interests,” he said.

Diplomats insist world powers are close to reaching a landmark interim deal to curb Iran's nuclear program in return for sanctions relief despite failing to do so in Geneva over the weekend.

The so-called P5+1 group -- Britain, France, the United States, Russia and China plus Germany -- and Iran will reconvene again in Geneva on November 20 to try to iron out differences.

In his remarks, Berri reiterated that there is an urgent need for a new government in Lebanon.

“The 9-9-6 formula is a golden opportunity for the March 14 alliance,” he said. “Its share in this cabinet would be in its favor.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has suggested a cabinet in which both March 8 and March 14 would get nine ministers each and centrists would have 6 ministers after the failure to agree on another formula.

“We tried to form a cabinet with an 8-8-8 formula but March 14 didn't accept it,” Berri said.

“We are now proposing the 9-9-6 formula but it hasn't accepted it either. What does it want?” he wondered.

The March 14 alliance and mainly al-Mustaqbal movement has conditioned the formation of an all-embracing cabinet to Hizbullah's withdrawal from Syria and its adherence to the Baabda Declaration.

But Berri said he was surprised by such a condition, saying “everyone approves the Baabda Declaration as part of the deal reached on the dialogue table.”

“It has never mentioned the arms of the resistance,” he said.

The rival political leaders agreed last year to keep Lebanon away from the policy of regional and international conflicts and spare it the negative repercussions of the region's crises.

The March 8 and March 14 leaders also affirmed commitment to the Taef Accord and promised to continue efforts to implement all its provisions.