Report: U.S Mulling New Sanctions Against Hizbullah
The United States House of Representatives is reportedly mulling a bill that will impose tough new sanctions against Hizbullah, An Nahar daily reported on Saturday.
Information about the new sanctions against the party were discussed during the latest monthly meeting between the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL), the Banking Control Commission of Lebanon and the Association of Banks in Lebanon, said the daily.
Vice Governor of BDL Mohammed Baasiri, who had been on a short visit to the U.S., told the interlocutors that committees at the U.S. House of Representatives are preparing a bill that will “tighten and expand” sanctions against Hizbullah, according to the daily.
He said the bill is likely to be issued next month.
Baasiri stressed the need to start contacts at the highest levels to avoid the repercussions of this law, it added.
Meanwhile, al-Mustaqbal daily said that BDL sources have denied the reports asserting that the bank did not receive a list of new sanctions that will apply to Lebanese banks.
Hizbullah is listed as a "terrorist" group in the United States and entities linked to it are also under sanctions.
The U.S. State Department also accuses the group of supporting President Bashar Assad's regime in Syria.
The U.S. House of Representatives had previously imposed sanctions on banks that knowingly do business with Hizbullah.
The rules prescribe punishing regulations against financial institutions that conduct transactions with Hizbullah or otherwise launder funds for the organization.
Source: Naharnet
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/228184 |