US sanctions 'Hezbollah financiers and Iranian oil smugglers'
The US Department of the Treasury on Thursday announced sweeping sanctions targeting what it called Hezbollah-linked financial operatives in Lebanon and Iranian oil smuggling networks spanning Iraq, the Gulf, and Asia.
In a pair of statements, the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned seven senior officials and one entity affiliated with Lebanon's Al-Qard Al-Hassan (AQAH), a Hezbollah -controlled financial institution designated by the US since 2007.
'These officials sought to disguise Hizballah's (Hezbollah) interest in seemingly legitimate transactions, exposing Lebanese banks to serious financial crime risks,' said Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender. He added that the US remains committed to dismantling Hizballah's financial infrastructure as the group attempts to rebuild its operations.
Among those sanctioned are AQAH executives Nehme Ahmad Jamil, Issa Hussein Kassir, Samer Hasan Fawaz, and others accused of facilitating multi-million dollar transactions that covertly served Hizballah's interests. OFAC also designated the Beirut-based company Tashilat SARL, co-owned by AQAH officials, for its role in supporting Hezbollah's financial ecosystem through post-conflict mortgage services and other business fronts.
In addition, OFAC also unveiled sanctions against a sprawling oil smuggling network led by Iraqi-British businessman Salim Ahmed Said, accused of blending and selling Iranian oil as Iraqi crude using forged documentation and corrupt deals with Iraqi officials.
According to the Treasury, Said's operations have generated billions of dollars in revenue for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF), a US-designated terrorist organization.
Said's companies—operating out of Iraq and the United Arab Emirates—allegedly manipulated shipping records, conducted ship-to-ship transfers in the Persian Gulf, and stored oil in disguised terminals in Khor al-Zubayr. One firm, VS Tankers FZE, reportedly used a fleet of vessels to blend sanctioned Iranian oil with legitimate Iraqi crude, allowing it to reach global markets.
The Treasury also sanctioned several ships and shipping companies believed to be part of Iran's 'shadow fleet,' used to covertly transport oil in defiance of international sanctions.
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