Hizballah leader 'very optimistic' about 'idiot' Trump

The head of Lebanon's powerful Hizballah group says the world will benefit from having an "idiot" in the White House.

"We are very optimistic that when an idiot settles in the White House and boasts about his idiocy, this is the beginning of relief for the oppressed around the world," Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech on Sunday, referring to US President Donald Trump.

Nasrallah added that his group was much stronger than when it was created in the early 1980s and should not be concerned about threats from the West.

Trump has also vowed to take a stronger stance against Iran, which is a key sponsor of Hizballah and other militant groups in the Middle East.

The White House said Iran was "on notice" after it tested a ballistic missile.

The Iran-backed Lebanese Shia paramilitary group is seen by many as acting in the interests of Tehran in the Middle East. This relationship has been raised as a cause for concern by US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry.

Earlier this month, Trump warned that US policy towards Iran would be less "kind" than the previous administration.

The group is heavily involved in the Syrian civil war, where it is backing President Bashar al-Assad, and its fighters battle alongside his troops against opposition forces and the Islamic State group.

Agencies contributed to this report.