The Iranian-backed Shi’ite Muslim terror group Hezbollah blasted the Lebanese central bank over its decision to cooperate with the US sanctions regime, and acknowledged that the sanctions were putting financial pressure on the organization.
According to a report by the AP, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah acknowledged that the tightening sanctions imposed by the Trump administration had affected the group, but said Hezbollah would “study well our alternatives”.
Nasrallah also hinted at possible reprisals for sanctions targeting Lebanese MPs affiliated with Hezbollah.
“We said it in the past that when we are subjected to injustice we can be patient, but when our people are subjected to injustice we should behave in a different way,” said Nasrallah.
In July, the US Treasury Department added MPs Amin Sherri and Muhammad Hasan Raad to its sanctions blacklist for their ties to the terror group.
"Hezbollah uses its operatives in Lebanon's parliament to manipulate institutions in support of the terrorist group's financial and security interests, and to bolster Iran's malign activities," said Sigal Mandelker, Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
A month later, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on financial institutions and suspected middlemen in Lebanon and Oman.
Included in the newest wave of sanctions was the Jammal Trust Bank and its subsidiaries, which the Treasury Department accused of “brazenly enabling Hezbollah’s financial activities”, including payments to the families of suicide bombers. The Jamal Trust Bank later denied the allegations.
Nasrallah hit the Lebanese central bank for cooperating with the US in maintaining the sanctions against Hezbollah.
