Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is planning on making new “proposals” to the Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party in an attempt to break a monthslong deadlock in forming the government, informed political sources said.

The latest development came after Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, who on Wednesday discussed the stalemate with President Michel Aoun at the Baabda Palace, quoted the president as saying that Hariri will present a cabinet lineup within the next two days.

“I felt that the president is optimistic,” said al-Rahi.

This comes as Hariri met Wednesday n https://ift.tt/1p5TKH4 http://bit.ly/2DOz6Vx

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced a new high-level team to coordinate measures taken by Washington against ran.

The group will be headed by Brian Hook as the State Department’s Special Representative for Iran, Pompeo told a news conference on Thursday.

Hook who has pushed for tough action against Iran, has been leading the department’s talks with allies in Europe and Asia to persuade them to support US sanctions and cut off Iran’s oil supplies as of November. https://ift.tt/1p5TKH4 http://bit.ly/2DOz6Vx