[AlAhram] The U.S. Treasury, moving to boost pressure on Hezbollah, imposed sanctions on Wednesday against two people and three firms that Washington accuses of being involved in schemes to help the armed Shi'ite group backed by Iran evade American sanctions.The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said it was targeting Belgium-based Wael Bazzi because he acted on behalf of his father Mohammad Bazzi, a Hezbollah financier.
OFAC also took action against two Belgian companies and a British-based firm controlled by Bazzi.
| According to The Times of Israel, the companies are Belgium-based Voltra Transcor Energy and OFFISCOOP NV, and United Kingdom-based BSQRD Limited. |
The two men and three businesses were targeted for sanctions under U.S. regulations aimed at suspected Lions of Islam or those who support them, the Treasury said in a statement. Hezbollah is considered a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.
"Treasury is relentlessly pursuing Hezbollah's financial controllers by dismantling two of Hezbollah's most important financial networks," Treasury Undersecretary Sigal Mandelker said in a statement.
"By targeting Hassan Tabaja and Wael Bazzi and their European-based companies, this administration is continuing to disrupt all avenues of financial support relied upon by Hezbollah," he said.
The U.S. State Department earlier this week offered a reward of up to $10 million for information that could help disrupt Hezbollah's financing.
The move to boost pressure on the group comes at a time of growing U.S. concern about its role in the Lebanese government. Hezbollah's regional clout has expanded as it has sent fighters to Middle East conflicts, including the war in Syria, where it supported
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Washington Revokes Visas for Lebanese Figures over Iran, Syria Ties
[AnNahar] The United States Embassy in Leb has revoked the visas of several Lebanese figures with reported good relations with Iran and the Syrian government, the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat said on Wednesday.
The daily said the measure has affected a Lebanese lawyer who was granted power of procuration by a Syrian businessman suspected of being linked to the Syrian regime, and another Lebanese businessmen preparing to go to Syria to discuss the establishment of companies there.
Political sources said the majority of the visas were annulled in a simple phone call the figures received from the US embassy in Beirut.