Report: Following Nimr's Execution, Efforts to Keep Dialogue Grow

Political efforts in Lebanon are said to focus on reactivating the government's work and restoring the parliamentary sessions to counter the repercussions of the regional conflict that arose lately between Saudi Arabia and Iran following the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

“At the current stage, the attention will focus on facing the repercussions of the regional crisis between Iran and Saudi Arabia against the backdrop of al-Nimr's execution,” a source following up closely on the developments in Lebanon told the daily.

“Efforts will primarily focus on reactivating the work of the cabinet, the parliamentary sessions, and the performance of the ministries in parallel with reactivating the legislative work. The obstruction that was intended to lead to the election of a President did not meet its goals. Waiting further could inflict more damage on the country and people,” the source stated on condition of anonymity.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of President Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014.

“Efforts should also focus on the continuation of dialogue between the parliamentary bloc leaders on one hand and between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal on the other to spare the country any negative repercussions and to keep the internal situation ready for any positives atmospheres,” it concluded.

On Saturday, Saudi Arabia executed 47 people convicted of "terrorism", including a prominent Shiite cleric, al-Nimr, whom Saudi authorities said was behind anti-government protests.

The execution drew the ire of several including Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah who launched one of his fiercest verbal attacks to date against Saudi Arabia over its execution of al-Nimr, as he warned against turning the issue into a Sunni-Shiite conflict.