International diplomatic moves intensified today in Lebanon as consultations continue to form a new government. While the French Defense Minister stressed that the Lebanese army would distribute aid to the victims of the port explosion, Tehran warned against exploiting the crisis for political ends.

President Michel Aoun met today at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, US Under Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Hale.

Hill, who arrived in Lebanon yesterday, announced that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will soon join the Lebanese and international investigators to assist in the investigations of the Beirut port explosion, at the invitation of Lebanon.

It is noteworthy that the US embassy in Lebanon had announced in a statement that Hill would confirm during his visit his country's support for any government that reflects the will of the Lebanese people and is genuinely committed to the reform agenda.

For her part, the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, said that the Lebanese must form a government capable of taking courageous decisions to face the crisis, adding that the Lebanese army will assume the responsibility of distributing aid to the Lebanese people.

In a press conference in the port of Beirut, Parley called on the Lebanese president to "form a new government as soon as possible and within a specified period of time to get out of the crisis, and deep reforms are necessary."

The minister announced that French President Emmanuel Macron intends to visit Lebanon on the first of next month, noting that Macron visited Beirut two days after the explosion.

Parly made her statements after she toured the French helicopter carrier "Tonner", which arrived today at the stricken port of Beirut.

It described the aircraft carrier as a "floating city" that could provide all kinds of medical and technical support, including a hospital, search and rescue equipment, construction equipment, as well as transporting a shipment of flour.

In the context of the diplomatic movement, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that no foreign party should take advantage of what he described as the tragic situation of Lebanon to impose dictations consistent with its interests and orientations.

"We believe that the people and the Lebanese government should decide this, and others should not condition the provision of aid on any change in Lebanon during the current state of emergency," Zarif added at a press conference.

Zarif's comments came shortly after his meeting today with his Lebanese counterpart in the caretaker government, Charbel Wehbe, and following repeated international calls to form a neutral government that excludes political parties.

In the latest update of the death toll from the explosion that rocked the Beirut port on the fourth of this month, Minister of Health Hamad Hassan announced that the number of people killed had risen to 177, and that 100 wounded were admitted to intensive care, in addition to about 30 missing.

In the context of the progress of the investigations into the explosion, the Lebanese Attorney General, Judge Ghassan Aweidat, issued a decision to refer the file to the First Military Investigation Judge, Fadi Sawan.

In its last meeting, prior to submitting its resignation, the government of Hassan Diab referred investigations to the Judicial Council, which is an exceptional judicial body that examines very serious cases that affect state security.