02 Jul 2025 16:25 PM President Aoun leads a series of meetings
In this framework, President of the Republic Joseph Aoun received Minister of Interior Ahmad Hajjar with whom he discussed the country's security situation, as well as the work of the Ministry of Interior's directorates, and the measures taken by the security forces to maintain stability.
At the parliamentary level, President Aoun received MP Hagop Terzian, with discussions touching on the country's general situation, recent developments, ongoing deliberations on the parliamentary elections law, and the positions of parliamentary sides on this issue.
President Aoun also received MP Waddah Sadek, who said that he discussed with the President a range of matters, including the issue of arms monopoly and the reconstruction dossier.
MP Sadek also indicated that he conveyed to President Aoun his viewpoint on the parliamentary elections law and the issue of the right of the Lebanese diaspora to participate in the vote.
At the diplomatic level, President Aoun received outgoing Tunisian Ambassador to Lebanon Bouraoui Limam at the Presidential Palace.
The President commended the ambassador's efforts in strengthening Lebanese-Tunisian relations during his diplomatic tenure and wished him success in his future endeavors.
President Aoun also received at Baabda Palace, a delegation from the Lebanese University's contractual professors, who raised with the President their longstanding demands. President Aoun promised to follow up on their full-time status dossier.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nahar Net
2 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Conflicting reports on Lebanese response to US paper
Conflicting reports on Lebanese response to US paper Sources from the presidential panel drafting Lebanon's response to the U.S. paper have said that 'the atmosphere of the discussions is very positive,' in remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper. 'The viewpoints are all intersecting on what serves Lebanon's interest, which can be certainly secured through halting Israeli attacks and Israel's commitment to the ceasefire agreement, the release of the Lebanese captives and withdrawal from the Lebanese areas it is occupying,' the sources added. A political leader meanwhile told the daily that 'the U.S. paper is not sacred' and is merely 'the beginning of a discussion.' 'The Americans are saying that it is an opportunity for a political solution and our stance is known to be supportive of political solutions. We are approaching it through keenness on Lebanon's interest, which means that Lebanon's interest comes first and that we reject anything that contradicts with this interest,' the political leader added. Asked about Hezbollah's arms, the leader said 'the president has assumed the responsibility of addressing the file of arms in a calm manner.' Informed sources meanwhile told the al-Anbaa news portal of the Progressive Socialist Party that 'things are headed to solutions' and that 'Hezbollah has become convinced that clinging to its arms might bring it harm and make it once again subject to U.S.-backed Israeli strikes.' 'Nothing prevents a repetition of the scenario that was followed with Hamas in the South, Dahieh and Beirut, and accordingly Hezbollah is not willing to engage in a new adventure with Israel,' the sources added. An-Nahar newspaper meanwhile said that Hezbollah 'has not facilitated the mission of the tripartite committee' formed by President Joseph Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and PM Nawaf Salam, and that 'the committee received several Hezbollah conditions through Berri's representative that called for rejecting submission to the U.S. and Israeli demands, which at best reflects an intransigent stance.'
Nahar Net
8 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Hezbollah to respond today to Lebanese amendments to US paper
by Naharnet Newsdesk 8 hours Hezbollah will on Thursday inform Speaker Nabih Berri of its final response to the Lebanese amendments related to U.S. envoy Tom Barrack's paper, Al-Jadeed TV reported. 'The joint presidential committee will convene again today after receiving the official answer, in order to discuss it and finalize the official Lebanese response,' Al-Jadeed added. The TV network revealed that Berri had met Tuesday with a Hezbollah envoy who relayed 'half an answer' consisting of a host of remarks. 'Berri's representative Ali Hamdan relayed them to the presidential committee and were discussed in a meeting on Tuesday, while the official answer will follow today,' Al-Jadeed added. It also reported that Saudi envoy Prince Yazid bin Farhan has arrived in Beirut on a several-day visit and would also meet with Barrack when he visits Lebanon on July 7-8. 'Hezbollah will ask for guarantees regarding Israel's withdrawal,' Al-Jadeed said. MTV meanwhile reported that the Lebanese response 'will include reassurances for the Lebanese as to all files and concerns.' 'The ideas of Aoun, Berri and Salam are identical as to the response paper, which represents a historic chance to provide stability for Lebanon for the next 50 years,' MTV added.
Nahar Net
10 hours ago
- Nahar Net
US Treasury sanctions Hezbollah financial officials
by Naharnet Newsdesk 03 July 2025, 18:06 The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced Thursday sanctions on seven senior officials and one entity associated with the Hezbollah-controlled financial institution Al-Qard Al-Hassan. The U.S. Treasury said the seven officials have served in senior management roles for Al-Qard Al-Hassan and have facilitated the evasion of U.S. sanctions, enabling Hezbollah's access to the formal financial system. "Today's action underscores Treasury's commitment to disrupting Hezbollah's sanctions evasion schemes and supporting efforts by the new Lebanese government to limit the terrorist group's influence, particularly as entities like AQAH continue to undermine the already fragile Lebanese economy," the U.S. Department of the Treasury said. "Through their roles at AQAH, these officials sought to obfuscate Hezbollah's interest in seemingly legitimate transactions at Lebanese financial institutions, exposing these banks to significant AML/CFT risk while allowing Hezbollah to funnel money for its own benefit," said Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender. "As Hezbollah seeks money to rebuild its operations, Treasury remains strongly committed to dismantling the group's financial infrastructure and limiting its ability to reconstitute itself." The U.S. Treasury had previously targeted AQAH shadow bankers in 2021, identifying AQAH's financial director, Ahmad Mohamad Yazbeck, along with officials Abbas Hassan Gharib, Wahid Mahmoud Sbayti, Mostafa Habib Harb, Ezzat Youssef Akar, and Hasan Chehada Othman for acting on behalf of AQAH to evade sanctions. The Treasury also sanctioned AQAH Executive Director Adel Mansour in 2022. Husayn al-Shami, who ran AQAH at the time of its designation in 2007, was designated in 2006 for supporting Hezbollah. "The AQAH officials targeted today serve in critical roles for the organization's activities in support of Hezbollah, and some have been associated with AQAH for over two decades. In addition to their employment with AQAH, several have previously held joint bank accounts at Lebanese financial institutions in coordination with other AQAH affiliates and conducted millions of dollars in transactions that ultimately benefitted, but obscured, Hezbollah's interest," the U.S. Department of the Treasury said in a statement. "Many of the transactions in these accounts reflected the same pattern as the previously OFAC-designated shadow bankers where AQAH officials would conduct mirrored financial activity in AQAH accounts against proxy bank accounts within the formal Lebanese financial system to disguise the movement of money associated with known Hezbollah members," the statement went on to say. Here are the seven officials, as described by the U.S. Treasury: - Nehme Ahmad Jamil (Jamil) is a senior AQAH official and head of the auditing and business departments of AQAH. He also manages financial services for Hezbollah and its affiliated institutions. For almost 20 years, Jamil has provided financial services to AQAH. In addition, Jamil jointly owns a company, Tashilat SARL, with OFAC-designated Yazbeck and al-Shami. Tashilat SARL provided mortgage loans after the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war, and served as an integral part of the operations for AQAH and designated Hezbollah financial institutions Yousser Company and Bayt al-Mal. - Issa Hussein Qassir (Qassir) is a senior AQAH official who oversees the department responsible for supplying equipment to AQAH branches and handling procurement and logistics. In this capacity, Qassir opened bank accounts in the formal financial system to conduct business activities for AQAH. Qassir was documented sending nearly a million dollars to OFAC-designated AQAH shadow bankers Yazbeck, Gharib, and Othman between 2007 and 2019, prior to OFAC's designation of Jammal Trust Bank SAL (JTB) in 2019. JTB was designated for facilitating the banking activities of U.S.-designated entities openly affiliated with Hezbollah, like AQAH and the Martyrs Foundation. - Samer Hassan Fawwaz (Fawwaz) is the head of the AQAH management division and is responsible for administration and liaising between AQAH and various companies that assist the organization with logistics and procurement. He has served in the role of administrative director for AQAH since at least 2010. - Imad Mohamad Bezz (Bezz) is the head of AQAH's evaluation and storage department and is responsible for AQAH's gold deals. Bezz transacted extensively with AQAH officials previously involved in shadow banking activities, including sending over $2.5 million to an account held by three other AQAH officials. - Ali Mohamad Karnib (Karnib) is a senior AQAH employee who serves as the head of AQAH's purchase department. As of July 2024, Karnib oversaw the purchase of over a thousand ounces of gold for AQAH. - Ali Ahmad Krisht (Krisht) serves as the branch manager of AQAH in Tyre, Lebanon. He previously held at least three bank accounts on behalf of Hezbollah and worked in close coordination with OFAC-designated AQAH director Mansour, as well as other AQAH officials. In addition to his ties to AQAH, Krisht was associated with senior Hezbollah financial advisor Hassan Moukalled, who was designated in 2023 for providing support to Hezbollah and helping Hezbollah establish a presence in Lebanon's financial system. - Mohammed Suleiman Badir (Badir) served as a deputy director of AQAH under designated AQAH official Subayti at the Nabatiyeh branch. He previously held a joint account with Subayti opened as part of a Hezbollah plan to circumvent the formal financial system by having members and associates open bank accounts in their personal names. Tashilat SARL was also designated for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Jamil, Yazbeck, and al-Shami. As a result of Thursday's sanctions, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. "Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons," the Treasury warned. "OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC's Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC's enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities with designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. "Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions involving the persons designated today may risk the imposition of secondary sanctions on participating foreign financial institutions. OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on opening or maintaining, in the United States, a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates any significant transaction on behalf of a person who is designated pursuant to the relevant authority. "The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior," the statement said.
