Lebanon's Deputy Speaker Ferzli gives first nomination for Diab as PM

Lebanon's Deputy Parliament Speaker Elie Ferzli, an ally of the Iran-backed Hezbollah, said on Thursday he had nominated former minister Hassan Diab as prime minister, indicating the Shi'ite group and its allies had agreed on him for the position. Outgoing Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, an ally of Western and Gulf Arab states, had been in the running himself but withdrew his candidacy late on Wednesday.

Hariri had said he would only lead a cabinet of specialist ministers which he believed would be able to unlock Western aid.