US imposes Hezbollah-related sanctions on individuals
The United States announced on Wednesday imposing sanctions on three individuals that are allegedly related to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Three individuals and one business have been sanctioned by the US government for their alleged ties to Hezbollah, according to a statement released by the Treasury Department on Tuesday.
"The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Adel Diab, Ali Mohamad Daoun, Jihad Salem Alame and their company [Lebanon-based travel] company, Dar Al Salam for Travel and Tourism," the statement said.
According to the statement, the US administration accused Hezbollah, which is a part of the Lebanese government, of obstructing economic reforms in Lebanon, preventing much-needed change and creating the conditions for the Lebanese economy's catastrophe.
"Hezbollah claims it supports the Lebanese people, but just like other corrupt actors in Lebanon that Treasury has designated, Hezbollah continues to profit from insulated business ventures and backdoor political deals, amassing wealth that the Lebanese people never see," Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in the release.
All properties and interests in property of specified persons and companies that remain under US control are required to be blocked under US law. According to the announcement, the sanctions regime also forbids American citizens from transacting with them.
Earlier, the United States has sanctioned four Lebanese nationals it claims are linked to Hezbollah.
In a statement, the US Department of the Treasury had announced “designating members of an international network” of financial facilitators and front companies “including 8 Iranian nationals and 2 Chinese nationals operating in support of Hezbollah and Iran.”
Furthermore, the United States imposed sanctions on several Chinese companies over alleged” Beijing’s crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong”.