Observers noted on Saturday that the dispute between Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Iran will be limited to the Lebanese internal scene, stressing that Lebanon will not succumb to the regional tensions.

A prominent political source told the daily An Nahar in remarks published on Saturday that what appears to be a dispute over Lebanese-Iranian ties in fact stems back to the Saudi-Syrian initiative that was aimed at ending the Lebanese political crisis, which it turned out Iran had obstructed.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast slammed on Friday caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri's recent position on Iran, which he said only serves U.S. and Israel's interests, reported Press TV.

Addressing Hariri, Mehmanparast said that with a proper understanding of the lessons of the popular uprisings in the Arab countries of the Middle East, "[you] should consider the criteria for ruling people as respecting their dignity and independence, as well as avoiding dependence on the West, particularly the U.S. and Zionism."

Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri telephoned Bahraini King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa on Friday stressing to him Lebanon’s support to the Kingdom’s sovereignty and stability.

He urged him not to consider any position taken by any political group in Lebanon as being the stance of the Lebanese state or its people.

Caretaker Transportation and Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi stated on Friday that there have been no convincing justifications given over the delay in the government formation.

He told Voice of Lebanon radio: “It appears that the team charged with the forming the government does not trust its members … as if they are waging a battle over the distribution of portfolios.”

Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri has reportedly said that Russian MiG-29 fighter jets would strengthen the March 14 forces and prevent Hizbullah from overtaking Sunni Western Beirut as it did on May 7.

According to a WikiLeaks cable published by al-Akhbar daily on Friday, Hariri said during a meeting with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Hale on December 17, 2008 that the ownership of MiG jets by the army would most probably complicate Israeli overflights.

The National Struggle Front leader, MP Walid Jumblat, urged Lebanese officials to steer clear of regional conflicts and return to the dialogue table.

“It would be better to stay away from regional conflicts as much as possible and resume dialogue,” Jumblat told As Safir daily in remarks published Friday.

Hizbullah snapped back Thursday at caretaker premier Saad Hariri, who earlier in the day accused Tehran of trying to turn Lebanon and Gulf states into Iranian protectorates.

Hariri’s “provocative stances sincerely echoed U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ latest remarks about the Iranian role in the region,” read a statement released by Hizbullah's media relations department.

As popular revolts continue to shake the Arab world, the political stalemate in Lebanon is unlikely to end soon because key players Syria and Saudi Arabia are busy on other fronts, analysts say.

"The situation is very tense in the region and everyone is waiting to see how the political landscape is going to change," said Hilal Khashan, political science professor at the American University of Beirut.

A leaked U.S. Embassy cable published exclusively in Al-Akhbar on Thursday revealed that Speaker Nabih Berri believed that Hizbullah underestimated Israel’s response to the party’s kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers that sparked the July 2006 war.

He made his statements to former U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman, who also reported him as saying that Berri is definitely Iran and Syria’s ally … but it would be wrong to look at him as a milder copy of Hizbullah.

Caretaker Premier Saad Hariri stressed on Thursday that the biggest challenge facing the Arab world is “Iran’s persistent violations,” rejecting the Iranian intervention in the internal affairs of Arab countries.

Hariri accused the Iranian authorities of trying to turn Lebanon and other Gulf states into an Iranian protectorate.