Amid crisis, Hezbollah seeks ally in next Lebanese president

By BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group says he wants the next Lebanese president to be a figure who won’t “betray” the Iran-backed faction. Hassan Nasrallah spoke on Friday through a video-link to supporters gathered to mark Hezbollah’s Martyrs Day, a commemoration of the group’s fallen fighters. Nasrallah did not name a favorite but his remarks indicated the shadowy militant leader plans to exert influence over who becomes next president. Lebanon’s parliament failed to elect a new president in five attempts after the term of President Michel Aoun, a strong ally of Hezbollah, ended on Oct. 31. That left Lebanon in a political vacuum with a caretaker government that does not have full powers.