Sheikh Naim Qassem rejected accusations that a government of Hizbullah and its allies would try to implement an Iranian-style Islamic state. In an interview with The Associated Press, he shrugged off warnings about boycotts and insisted Western nations are willing to talk to the new government irrespective of who wins.

"After June 7, there will be a new scene," said Qassem, who leads Hizbullah's election campaign. He said Hizbullah and its allies "will work to form a national unity government. How much we will succeed is up to the other side."

He spoke Tuesday at a secret location in the Hizbullah stronghold of south Beirut. Out of security concerns, AP reporters were driven in a minivan with black-draped windows to an apartment building basement. There, they were transferred to another minivan with black-draped windows to block the view and driven to another building, where Qassem later showed up for the interview.

The vote for parliament pits Western-backed factions that have dominated the government for the last four years against a coalition led by Hizbullah and its ally, Christian leader Michel Aoun.

Hizbullah has had veto power over government decisions for the past year as part of a national unity government formed after its gunmen overran Beirut in May 2008.

So far, the election has been considered too close to call and the pro-Western coalition has also predicted victory. But if Qassem's predictions materialize, it would be the first time Hizbullah is positioned to play a major role in the formation of Lebanon's government.

Qassem predicted his alliance would pick up between three and six seats over the 64-seat margin to have an absolute majority in the 128-member legislature.

The country's sectarian-based division of power and complex alliances across sectarian divides make it hard for any single party to govern alone and without consensus. Under the system, Christians and Muslim equally share the Cabinet and the legislature. Lebanon's legislature has been sharply polarized between the two camps since 2005. The majority currently has 70 seats and the minority, including Hizbullah, has 58.

Political turmoil and instability have buffeted the country since the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Hariri's supporters blamed the bombing on Syria. Damascus denied the accusations, but mass protests in Lebanon and U.S.-led international pressure forced Syria's army out of Lebanon, ending 29 years of dominance.

In addition, Hizbullah fought a devastating war with "Israel" in 2006. Lebanon is still trying to chart its own direction after the Syrian pullout.

That has raised U.S. concerns, particularly because Washington considers the heavily armed Hizbullah with a long history of anti-"Israeli" activities a terrorist organization. The U.S. has been at odds with Damascus over Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinians.

Qassem predicted some factions from the pro-Western coalition would opt to join the new government. But one major faction has already said it won't.

He accused the U.S. of last-minute attempts to influence the vote, but said they would not work. President Barack Obama is addressing Muslims in a speech from Cairo Thursday, days before the Lebanese election, in his latest overture to improve relations with the Islamic world