Hezbollah reverses decision to postpone PM consultations meeting with Aoun

Hezbollah’s Loyalty to Resistance bloc on Monday asked President Joseph Aoun to postpone its consultations meeting with him until Tuesday before eventually reversing its decision, the state-run National News Agency and Lebanese and Arab TV networks said.

"The meeting of the Loyalty to Resistance bloc with President Joseph Aoun is still scheduled for 3:30 pm," Presidency spokesman Rafic Chlala said, in a statement carried by NNA.

By 3:45 pm, the bloc was still not present at the Baabda Palace.

Hezbollah's move and its reversal came after Nawaf Salam seemed inclined to be named as PM-designate, after winning key support from the Strong Lebanon bloc and the Democratic Gathering.

Al-Arabiya TV quoted sources close to Hezbollah and Amal’s MPs as saying that “what is happening in the government consultations is not in the interest of the new presidential tenure.”

“The Hezbollah and Amal blocs have expressed their dismay over the inclination to name Nawaf Salam as premier,” Al-Arabiya quoted sources as saying.