Hezbollah must not be part of Lebanese government, says US envoy

The US deputy special envoy for the Middle East on Friday said that Hezbollah's presence in Lebanon's new government was a red line, welcoming the end of the Iran-backed group's "reign of terror".

"We have set clear red lines in the United States that they (Hezbollah) won't be able to terrorise the Lebanese people, and that includes by being a part of the government," Morgan Ortagus said after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Beirut.

"Hezbollah was defeated by Israel and we are grateful to our ally Israel for defeating Hezbollah.

"The end of Hezbollah's reign of terror in Lebanon and around the world has started and it's over.

"The men and women of character of this government will ensure that we start to end corruption, that we end influence from Hezbollah, and that we embark on the reforms for a greater country."

AFP