WASHINGTON: The United States on Tuesday designated the son of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah a terrorist and hit key representatives of the Lebanese militant group in Iraq with sanctions.
The US State Department accused Jawad Nasrallah of carrying out attacks against Israel.
The department also blacklisted Al-Mujahidin Brigades (AMB), which it said had links to Hezbollah and had plotted a number of attacks against Israeli targets from a base in the Palestinian Territories.
Hours earlier, the US Treasury blacklisted Shibl Muhsin 'Ubayd Al-Zaydi, Yusuf Hashim, Adnan Hussein Kawtharani, and Muhammad 'Abd-Al-Hadi Farhat under its Specially Designated Global Terrorists program, saying they moved money, acquired weapons and trained fighters in Iraq for the group.
.@StateDeptCT Ambassador Sales: #Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism...The resources that Iran uses to fund its global terrorist ambitions are resources that come directly out of the pockets of everyday, average Iranians. pic.twitter.com/zIaQkVg0lY
— Department of State (@StateDept) November 13, 2018
Among the four, Al-Zaydi was a key coordinator between Hezbollah, Iran's blacklisted Revolutionary Guards, and their supporters in Iraq, the Treasury said.
He is close to alleged Hezbollah financier Adham Tabaja, and coordinated smuggling oil from Iran into Syria.
He also sent Iraqi fighters to Syria allegedly on behalf of the Revolutionary Guard, the Treasury said.
The other three were also involved in collecting intelligence and moving money for Hezbollah in Iraq, it said.
“Hezbollah is a terrorist proxy for the Iranian regime that seeks to undermine Iraqi sovereignty and destabilize the Middle East," said Sigal Mandelker, Treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
“Treasury's concerted actions aim to deny Hezbollah's clandestine attempts to exploit Iraq to launder funds, procure weapons, train fighters, and collect intelligence as a proxy for Iran.”
The State Department said the actions against Jawad Nasrallah denied him and AMB access to the US financial system.
“Today’s designations seek to deny Nasrallah and AMB the resources to plan and carry out terrorist attacks,” the State Department said.
Earlier, Saad Hariri, Lebanon’s prime minister designate, blamed Hezbollah for blocking the formation of government in the country.
*With AFP
