Jumblat: Iran Thwarted the Presidential Initiative

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat blamed Iran for thwarting the presidential initiative settlement that suggested the nomination of Marada chief MP Suleiman Franjieh for the top state post, As Safir daily reported on Friday.

“(Al-Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad) Hariri suggested the initiative with a Saudi approval and Iran rejected it and that was enough to freeze it,” Jumblat told the daily.

“Who knows, maybe when the U.S. starts lifting sanctions against Iran then it would sell the initiative back to the U.S.” he added.

“Although the initiative that suggested the nomination of Franjieh for the presidency reached a dead end but the nomination of Franjieh in principle did not fail," stated the MP.

The PSP leader added: “I urge all political parties, with the beginning of the new year, to focus on activating the cabinet's work and to look into the people's affairs.”

Lebanon is witnessing a state of presidential vacuum since May 2014 when the term of President Michel Suleiman ended.

An initiative by Hariri emerged lately suggesting the nomination of Franjieh for the post.

The settlement was faced with reservation of the Kataeb party, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces.