US Sanctions Tied to the Supporters of Iran Backed Hezbollah.

US Sanctions Tied to the Supporters of Iran Backed Hezbollah.

Recently, the US sanctions were imposed on one Hezbollah official and two Lebanon-based firms accused of being backed by the Iran-backed group. The treasury blacklisted Arch Consulting and Meamar Construction, which Hezbollah allegedly leveraged to hide the money transfers to the group accounts to garner more support. They further communicated that Arch Consulting is “owned, controlled, or directed by Hezbollah”, and didn’t specify further details.

Additionally, Sultan Khalifah As’ad, a senior Hezbollah executive council official, was also hit with US sanctions. According to the Treasury Secretary, Hezbollah’s exploitation and manipulation of the Lebanese economy and corrupt Lebanese officials has helped them award the companies associated with the organization with government contracts.

What is Hezbollah?

Hezbollah is an Iran-backed, armed outfit that has risen in power through the years. Its notoriety skyrocketed after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Currently, it wields immense power in Lebanon and functions both as a political party and an armed outfit.

It is a Shi’ite Muslim political party and a militant outfit. It is funded and pushed by Iran to resist the influence of the West in the affairs of the Middle East. Since it has carried out various terrorist activities globally, the outfit has been designated a terrorist outfit by the United States and other nations.

The country blames the Iran-backed outfit for the mismanagement of the port as well as corruption and money laundering- allegations that have now been proved.

The Effects

The actions freeze any US assets of the blacklisted firms and persons and bars any American from dealing with them. Any firm or person engaging in business risks being hit by secondary sanctions.

Additionally, this might also be a direct hit aimed at the militant outfit, which the United States hopes would reduce the power of the group and destabilize some of its factions.

Conclusion

The rise of the militant outfit in Lebanon has affected the world, as many believe it to be an indication of the growing influence of Iran in the region. Moreover, the group is well known for carrying out terrorist activities, and the global community is wary of all the group’s actions. The US sanctions are a way of limiting the power of the group in the area to allow the government to assert greater control.

The country is already reeling from international backlash due to the undelivered promises of the government that have halted any aid to the economically ravaged nation. The sanctions further exacerbate the situation in the country, impacting the help that the country so badly needs, especially foreign aid.