Secretary of State John Kerry shied away on Saturday from making a blunt criticism of Iran but stressed that the U.S. shares concerns about Iran's behavior, including its support for Hizbullah.

"The United States remains concerned about some of the activities that Iran is engaged in other countries," Kerry told reporters in Riyadh, citing as an example Iran's "support for terrorist groups like Hizbullah.”

A Lebanese national, Mohammed Mahmoud al-Hujairi, was released on Saturday in the northeastern border town of Arsal without the payment of a ransom.

Al-Hujairi was kidnapped late Thursday and the abductors demanded a ransom worth $250,000 to free him, the state-run National News Agency said.

A young man who sustained a gunshot wound in his abdomen was found late on Friday in Tripoli's town of al-Dinnieh, the state-run National News Agency said on Saturday.

The man who was acknowledge as Mahmoud Z. from the town of Bqaasafrin in the north was found with a pistol near him.

Despite the strenuous political efforts exerted lately to end the 20-month presidential deadlock, hopes seem to be dim in that regard in light of the regional developments casting their shadow over Lebanon.

“Nothing is expected in the near future regarding the presidential entitlement,” diplomatic sources told the daily al-Joumhouria on Saturday.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi met on Saturday with Pope Francis at the Vatican where the problematic presidential issue was the focus of talks, the state-run National News Agency said.

The meeting between the two men lasted for over an hour.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam stated on Friday that the Iranian meddling in the Arab world is the origin of the conflict with Saudi Arabia.

“Iran's interference in the affairs of the Arab world is the root of the conflict with Saudi Arabia,” the Premier said at the World Economic Forum panel in Davos, Switzerland.

Al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri criticized on Friday the stance of the Foreign Ministry at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting on Iran, stressing that it does not reflect the opinion of the majority of the Lebanese.

“The foreign ministry's unilateral decision at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting does not reflect the position of the majority of the Lebanese,” Hariri stressed in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Thursday that the influx of cash secured by Iran's nuclear deal with world powers would allow Tehran to further back armed groups in the region, including Lebanon's Hizbullah.

It would be important to "resist Iranian aggression in the region, which continues and might even accelerate given the amount of funds that they're going to get with the lifting of sanctions,” the Israeli PM told the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Israel's military has conducted a drill to prepare for simultaneous combat along its northern frontier with Syria and Lebanon.

It said Wednesday the two-week exercise that combined air, ground and naval forces was aimed at "preparing troops for a long-term multi-front conflict."

The Shin Bet said on Wednesday that Israeli forces thwarted a shooting attack in the Tulkarm area of the northern West Bank led by Palestinian Mahmoud Zaaloul who was directed by the son of Hizbullah leader Jawad Nasrallah, Israeli media reports stated.

Forces "apprehended a terror cell funded and guided by Hizbullah," an Israeli army statement said, adding the cell was "plotting a shooting attack".