A man who identified himself as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Syrian army has told Agence France Presse that he had seen “Iranian and Hizbullah snipers” in the Damascus suburb of Saqba.

"I remember well in Damascus, in the Saqba district, I saw people demonstrating” and “with my own eyes I saw snipers positioned on upper floors, Iranian and Hizbullah snipers who fired on the crowd," Hussein Harmoush told AFP, when asked about the presence of Iranian soldiers or Hizbullah warriors fighting alongside the Syrian army, as recently reported by many witnesses.

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Tuesday stressed that his party is “satisfied over the formation of a new cabinet, especially that it represents all the sectors of the Lebanese society.”

Following talks with Sports and Youth Minister Faisal Karami, Qassem noted that “those who did not join it (cabinet) have the right to scrutinize its performance,” describing accountability as “part of our political system in this country.”

The Mustaqbal bloc warned the new government on Tuesday against adopting vengeful and spiteful practices, adding that Prime Minister Najib Miqati wasted an opportunity to form a government of independent figures.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “A Cabinet of independent figures would have led the country towards dialogue, instead he chose to serve Hizbullah’s arms, succumbing to its ‘black shirts policy’.”

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun stated on Tuesday that the new government will not enter into a confrontation with the international community.

He said after the movement’s weekly meeting: “We want the justice of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and we respect United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.”

France on Tuesday urged Lebanon's new government to honor its international commitments, including maintaining support for the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

"The formation of the Lebanese government ... is an important step for Lebanon and the Lebanese," the French foreign ministry said in a statement, referring to a new cabinet dominated by Hizbullah and its allies.

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon announced on Tuesday that the court’s first Registrar, Robin Vincent, had died but did not unveil the cause of death.

“It is with profound grief that I have learned of Robin's passing away,” said STL President Judge Antonio Cassese. “He was an excellent and dedicated manager, who, as the first Registrar of the STL, worked incessantly to make it possible for the Tribunal to get off the ground.”

Speaker Nabih Berri postponed on Tuesday the legislative session that was scheduled for Wednesday, saying that he will set a new date after the new government receives the vote of confidence from parliament.

A dispute ensued between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over the constitutionality of Berri’s call for a legislative session in light of the then governmental vacuum.

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel stressed on Tuesday that Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s new cabinet was formed after receiving a Syrian green light.

“It is obvious that the formation of the government came after full coordination” with Damascus, Gemayel told LBC TV network. “Syria will take advantage of it (the cabinet) to consolidate itself and use it as a tool in its foreign contacts or to confront the challenges that it is currently facing.”

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon welcomed the formation of the new Lebanese cabinet expressing hope that it will be able to address the economic, political and security challenges facing the country.

“The Secretary-General believes that the formation today of a new cabinet in Lebanon, following months of consultations … is an important step toward establishing a functional, executive government in Lebanon,” said a statement issued by his spokesperson on Monday.

Speaker Nabih Berri has unveiled that he decided to give up a Shiite minister from his share in the new cabinet without consulting any of his allies despite media reports contradicting his remarks.

“I got the idea on my way to the presidential palace. Eventually I lost a minister but won Lebanon,” Berri told An Nahar daily on Tuesday.