Former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt, accompanied by PSP MP Wael Abou Faour, met Monday with Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri at Ain al-Tineh, where they discussed several issues, including the case of Iranian national airline Mahan Air flights that were prevented from landing in Beirut following a request from the Lebanese Ministry of Transport. The minister, Fayez Rassamni, is part of the PSP's quota in the new government.

"While waiting for the government to gain Parliament's confidence, the minister of Public Works should not be held responsible for everything concerning the Iranian planes," Joumblatt said.

"The public works minister carries the technical responsibility for the planes, but the issue of inspection and verification of materials or any smuggling concerns the Interior Ministry, as the airport security system handles that," he added. "It's time to stop this political one-upmanship."

Earlier in the day, Lebanon announced the indefinite extension of the suspension of flights to and from Iran. Presidential spokesperson Najat Sharafeddine indicated that "the minister of public works and transport had been tasked with extending the suspension of flights to and from Iran," following an initial suspension until Feb. 18. Hezbollah called on the Lebanese government on Sunday to reverse its decision to ban Iranian planes from landing and demanded it "take serious measures to prevent the Israeli enemy from imposing its dictates and violating national sovereignty."

Addressing the cease-fire concluded between Lebanon and Israel, Joumblatt said that the maintenance of the Israeli army on five strategic points "constitutes a violation of the agreement, plain and simple." An Israeli army spokesperson stated Monday that it would maintain a "small number of soldiers" at five strategic sites in south Lebanon after the deadline set for Feb. 18 for the total withdrawal of its troops. The five points where the Israeli army wants to maintain its presence after Feb. 18 are Hamames Hill (Marjyaoun), Labouneh/Alma al-Shaab (Sour), Jabal Blat near Ramieh, as well as Jal al-Deir south of Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil) and finally a newly established position along the Markaba-Houla road (Marjayoun).

Joumblatt said that the relationship between him and Berri "will remain very strong and continue."

"I say this because there was a period of rupture due to the war and the formation of the government," he explained. While Prime Minister Nawaf Salam was trying to form his government, Joumblatt advocated during the political crisis around the allocation of the Ministry of Finance to the Hezbollah-Amal alliance, in favor of the principle of portfolio rotation. He was responding to comments by Berri, who said that the Ministry of Finance was a right granted to the Shiite community since the adoption of the Constitution from the Taif Agreement (1989), stressing that it would be "incorrect" to say that the Constitution enshrines such a privilege.