Iranian sources quoted Monday by the Khurshid (Sun) newspaper saying that Lebanon's Hizbullah leader, Hassan Nasrallah had appointed Hashim Safieddine, the chairman of the Shiite movement’s executive office as his successor, in case Israel succeeded in assassinating Nasrallah.

Safieddine is Nasrallah's cousin.

The Iranian newspaper said the nomination was taken as a “clear step,” stressing to Israel that the movement will not be affected by any targeted assassinations.

Nasrallah himself was Hizbullah Executive Council Chairman before he was nominated as the secretary general following the assassination of former Hizbullah leader Abbas Al-Mousawi in 1992. -Agencies