By Sirwan Kajjo, Mehdi Jedinia | VOA News |
WASHINGTON – The U.S. government announced new sanctions Tuesday on three senior officials of the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah for its role in undermining Lebanon’s financial system and assisting Iran’s agenda in the country.
The targeted Hezbollah officials are Amin Sherri, Muhammad Hasan Ra’d and Wafiq Safa. Sherri and Ra’d are members of the Lebanese parliament, while Safa is known to be a major Hezbollah facilitator.
State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus speaks at a news conference at the State Department in Washington, June 17, 2019.
State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus speaks at a news conference at the State Department in Washington, June 17, 2019.
This is the first time that the U.S. Department of the Treasury has targeted members of the Lebanese parliament who are affiliated with Hezbollah, which the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization.
“They have assisted the Iranian regime in its efforts to undermine Lebanese sovereignty,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said during a press conference Tuesday.
“These officials have exploited their positions to smuggle illicit goods into Lebanon, undermining Lebanese financial institutions to assist Hezbollah and to evade U.S. sanctions against Hezbollah facilitators and financiers,” she added.
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