Beirut - Anti-Syrian Lebanese MP and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt on Saturday called on the government to expel Iran's ambassador to Lebanon and to ban flights by Iranian jetliners.

He also again lashed out at the pro-Iranian Shiite opposition Hezbollah movement, which is backed by Syria, accusing it of maintaining "a base" overlooking Beirut airport, monitoring the movement of politician's jets, and possibly plotting assassinations.

"Iranian flights to Beirut should be stopped because Iranian planes might be bringing in money and military equipment," Jumblatt said at his ancestral palace in Mukhtara.

"The Iranian ambassador should be expelled from Lebanon," the Druze leader added.

Jumblatt, who is a member of the US-backed parliamentary majority, also warned that he and parliament majority leader Saad Hariri could be targets of assassination.

"I am not afraid at all but at the same time I had to confirm the information before people walk in my funeral or walk in the funeral of Saad Hariri or others because it seems they are preparing for something," he said.

"They can practice abductions and assassinations along the airport road or runway number 17," Jumblatt said.

He also accused "Syria's gangs" of killing army chief Francois Hajj in December, 2007 and the police department's counter-terrorism expert Wissam Eid in January. Both men died in car bomb blasts.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's freedom of movement was "limited," Jumblatt said. "We (parliament's majority) have welcomed the formation of a national unity government, but they (the opposition, led by Hezbollah) don't want a president or a government or parliamentary elections," Jumblatt charged.

Hezbollah, in a statement released Saturday, dismissed Jumblatt's claims.

His comments came as Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa ended a three-day visit to Beirut Saturday without reaching a breakthrough in the months-old political deadlock between the government and opposition.

Lebanon is experiencing its worst political crisis since the end of the 1975-90 civil war, with parliament having failed on 18 occasions to elect a new president. The latest session is scheduled for May 13.

The post has been vacant since November 23 when the term of former president Emile Lahoud expired.

Parliament's anti-Syrian camp blames Syria for a series of assassinations that have claimed the lives of about a dozen politicians, journalists and members of the army and police in the past three years. Syria denies the allegations.

The has come under fire for running its own state within a state.

Methods applied to monitor the possible smuggling of weapons through Beirut airport in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 were "worthless as long as commander of the airport security department is penetrated by Hezbollah," Jumblatt said.

UN resolution 1701 ended 33-days of war between Hezbollah and Israel in August 2006. The resolution calls for disarming all Lebanese and foreign militias and that there will be no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese army. (dpa)