Did Hezbollah abandon Franjieh after Abdollahian's visit?

Observers have made a link between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian’s visit to Lebanon and remarks about the presidential file by top Hezbollah MP Mohammed Raad.

Abdollahian met with Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and relayed Iranian directions related to the new era ushered in by the Iranian-Saudi agreement, media reports said.

“There is no way to finalize the presidential election except through everyone’s agreement, and we have backed a presidential candidate but we have not closed the doors,” Raad said on Saturday.

“We have said let’s engage in discussions, which means that the doors to understanding and dialogue are still open,” Raad added.

His remarks apparently contradict with an earlier statement by Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem, who said that “the country is before two candidates: one of them is serious (Suleiman Franjieh) and the other is vacuum.”

Informed sources meanwhile told the PSP’s al-Anbaa news portal that Abdollahian had likely asked Hezbollah to help elect a new president and not to “cling to candidates who would aggravate the rift between the Lebanese.”

France meanwhile told Lebanese officials that it intends to activate its efforts regarding the presidential file and that it will carry out more steps in early May, ad-Diyar newspaper reported.