Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam said on Tuesday his hands were "extended to everyone", in a gesture to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group that accused opponents of seeking to exclude it by nominating him for the post.

The appointment of Nawaf Salam, the president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as prime minister of Lebanon has many Lebanese feeling optimistic. His success in securing enough votes in parliament on Monday caps off a rapid period of political change after Joseph Aoun was elected president last week,