The measure aims to disrupt Hezbollah’s business network in West Africa (AFP)
announced US Treasury Today, Friday, it imposed sanctions on two main financiers of “…Hezbollahe) workers in Guinea, in a measure aimed at “disrupting the party’s business network in West Africa that relies on bribery and influence to circumvent the rule of law,” as she put it.
The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Lebanese businessmen Ali Saadeh and Ibrahim Taher for “supporting and providing financial assistance to (Hezbollah) destabilizing activities,” pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, that targets terrorists and those who provide support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.
Hezbollah was previously designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US State Department in October 1997 and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Entity under Executive Order 13224 in October 2001.
“The illicit financial activity of those listed today is not only related to support for (Hezbollah), but also undermines the legitimate business sector and the laws of the countries in which such activities occur,” said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson.
In a statement, the Treasury indicated that Saadeh and Taher are prominent Lebanese businessmen with direct links to Hezbollah. Saadeh is transferring money from Guinea to Hezbollah, and transferring financial resources through party representatives in Guinea and Lebanon, according to the statement.
The Treasury depended on the cooperation and close relationship between Saadeh Qassem Tajeddin, one of the financiers of “Hezbollah” and classified on the US sanctions lists, who contributed tens of millions of dollars to the party and ran companies covering the latter’s activities in Africa with his brothers.
Taher has also been identified as one of Hezbollah’s most prominent financial supporters in Guinea, and is believed to be employing a number of individuals affiliated with the party inside the country.
The Treasury referred to the activities of Taher, who once used his status as honorary consul of Lebanon in Ivory Coast to travel in and out of Guinea with minimal scrutiny.
A US State Department spokesman said, Ned Price“(Hezbollah) has developed a global network of financiers, supporters, donors and facilitators, which has enabled it to constantly threaten the security, stability and prosperity of Lebanon and the region.”
“The United States will continue to expose individuals such as those listed today who support destabilizing (Hezbollah) activities,” he noted.
A senior delegation from the US Treasury visited Beirut this week for three days, during which they met with Lebanese officials and members of civil society and the banking sector to confirm the US government’s commitment to stand by the Lebanese, according to a statement issued by the US Treasury.
The US Treasury delegation highlighted the “Hassan Qard” institution targeted by US sanctions as “an example of a fake, unregulated financial institution that violates the license of an NGO granted by the Ministry of the Interior and provides a cover for Hezbollah’s financial activity,” jeopardizing the credibility of the Lebanese financial system. “.
An American movement over the file of demarcating the southern maritime borders of Lebanon
In the past few days, the corridors of the Lebanese Presidential Palace have witnessed an intense American movement, supported by phone calls that revolve mainly around a file. Demarcation of the border The Navy to the south, carrying the US ambassador to Beirut Dorothy Shea The day before yesterday, Wednesday, the written proposals of the American mediator, which a source in Baabda Palace confirms to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, did not carry any significant change, and was attached to a graph showing line 23 and the Qana field.
The source said that “President Aoun had asked the US senior adviser on energy security, Amos Hochstein, to write down his verbal proposals related to Line 23 and the management of the joint fields in writing so that Lebanon can study and answer them formally and in writing, which is expected not to be long, and accordingly the American ambassador sent the proposals.” Letter to the Lebanese leaders.
In contrast to the American movement, which was also followed by a call from the Assistant Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, which mainly dealt with the developments in the demarcation of the southern maritime border file, the “neutral” Hezbollah publicly began to break its silence and raise the level of warnings through the positions of its leaders, most notably what was stated on the The head of the “Loyalty to the Resistance” bloc, MP Muhammad Raad, said that “the Israelis will not be able to explore for gas unless we explore for gas and invest it as we want. (Hezbollah) is able to prevent the enemy from extending its hand on a drop of water from our waters.”
Raad launched an attack on the American mediator, saying that he “plays the role of a fox in dividing cheese between the two opponents.”