US pressure on Hezbollah may hamper Lebanese government

BEIRUT: Growing US pressure on Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, including a new wave of sanctions targeting its top leadership, may hamper the formation of a new government that caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri was overwhelmingly chosen to form on Thursday.

Hariri's aim is to quickly recreate a national unity government that incorporates Hezbollah members to implement reforms and deal with a crippling and growing national debt, but might come under increasing pressure from the US and its Arab allies to shun the militant group which says it wants to play a bigger role in the future Cabinet.

After a day of consultations between President Michel Aoun and the country's 128 legislators, 111 named Hariri as their choice to form a new Cabinet while the rest, including Hezbollah's bloc and some of its allies, did not give a name. Hariri's nomination comes after this month's parliament elections in which Hezbollah, along with its political allies, significantly increased their presence in the legislature.

"The least we should expect is huge complications over the formation of the Cabinet,'' said Nabil Bou Monsef, deputy editor-in-chief of the leading daily An-Nahar. He said Lebanon is again in the heart of the US- Iran conflict and this will lead to "complications over the government that will be caused by conditions and counter conditions.''

Despite soaring regional tensions, Hariri appeared optimistic after he was named to form the Cabinet. "I extend my hand to all political elements. We should work together to achieve what the Lebanese people are looking for,'' Hariri told reporters.

Asked if there will be a veto on Hezbollah's participation, Hariri said "I only heard that from the Lebanese media. This is the first time I hear it.'' Hariri added: "I am open to all elements and never closed the door in front of anyone.''

Hezbollah, which has 13 seats in the 128-member legislature, did not name its own candidate for the premiership as it has done in the past _ signaling it will likely go along with Hariri's re-appointment despite tense relations between the Iran-allied Shiite group and the Western-backed Hariri.

A UN-backed tribunal has indicted five Hezbollah members in the 2005 assassination of Hariri's father and former premier Rafik Hariri. Hezbollah denies the charges.

"We have confirmed our readiness to take part in the next government and to deal positively with whomever is named by the majority,'' Mohammed Raad, who heads Hezbollah's bloc in parliament, said after meeting Aoun.

Naming Hariri came amid concerns in Lebanon that a new wave of sanctions by the US and its Arab allies against Hezbollah would delay Hariri's formation of the Cabinet.

The increasing pressures by the US and its Arab allies on Hezbollah come amid rising tensions in the region following President Donald Trump's decision earlier this month to withdraw Washington from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and the militant group's gains in the May 6, parliamentary elections.