WASHINGTON: The United States said on Friday it was sanctioning Lebanon and Kuwait-based financial conduits that fund the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah as well as financial facilitators and front companies that support the group and Iran.
Hezbollah "continues to exploit the legitimate commercial sector for financial and material support, which enables the group to carry out acts of terrorism and degrade Lebanon’s political institutions," Treasury said in the announcement.
The sanctions also apply to businessman Morteza Minaye Hashemi, who lives in China and who had funneled money to Iran's Qods Force, Treasury said. Two Chinese nationals had helped Hashemi establish bank accounts and served as straw owners for his companies, which were based in Hong Kong and mainland China, according to the Treasury release.
US issues sanctions tied to supporters of Hezbollah, Iran
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US issues sanctions tied to supporters of Hezbollah, Iran
UN chief expresses deep concern over escalating Iran-US tensions
- ‘We are very concerned about the heightened rhetoric we’re seeing around the region’
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for diplomatic engagement to resolve differences between the United States and Iran amid a surge in military activities and rhetoric across the Middle East, his spokesperson said on Friday.
“We are very concerned about the heightened rhetoric we’re seeing around the region by the heightened military activities, war games or just military, increased military, naval presence in the region. And we encourage both the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue to engage in diplomacy in order to settle the differences,” said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN secretary-general.
The call for restraint follows a formal letter delivered on Thursday by Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent representative to the UN, addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council.
Iravani emphasized that Iran is prepared to exercise its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, promising a decisive and proportionate response to any military aggression.
Iravani further warned that in such a scenario, all bases, facilities, and assets belonging to hostile forces in the Middle East would constitute legitimate targets for Iranian defensive measures.
The envoy added that the United States would bear full and direct responsibility for any unforeseen and uncontrollable consequences resulting from further provocations.
