Hezbollah's influence on gov't not increasing: Lebanese president

(MENAFN) Lebanon's Hezbollah does not have a strengthened power over the government, affirmed Lebanese President Michel Aoun.

The statement was made by the Lebanese president to reject an accusation of the matter the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon made.

According to the president, "this is the US vision and it contradicts with reality. Hezbollah has maintained the same political presence it had in the previous government, and it is not true that its influence over Lebanon is increasing."

Aoun added: "what some political circles say in this regard is mere bickering. At the security level, they even say that Hezbollah has influence in the South and the Bekaa (Valley). This is while there is no authority higher than that of the army and security forces, which recently carried out major operations in the region and beefed up security and stability."

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