BEIRUT- Outgoing Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said on Tuesday a decision had been taken to form a new government quickly, Lebanese news outlet al-Jadeed reported him as saying.

"There is a decision to accelerate government formation, and I think the sanctions on Hezbollah could have a positive impact and speed up the birth of the new government," al-Jadeed said.

Lebanon held parliamentary elections at the start of May and the outgoing parliament's term expired on Monday.

(Reporting by Lisa Barrington Editing by Hugh Lawson) ((lisa.barrington@thomsonreuters.com; +961(0)1954456;))