EU sanctions Iran official overseeing links to Palestinian groups from Lebanon
The European Union has imposed asset freezes and visa bans on several firms and individuals accused of helping to finance Palestinian militant Islamist group Hamas, Brussels said.
The sanctions were the second round to be imposed by the EU on the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad groups after their attack on Israel on October 7.
Overall the bloc has so far blacklisted 12 individuals and three entities linked to the militants.
Among the latest targets were three front companies used by key financier Hamza Abdelbasit to funnel funds to the group, including Spanish real estate firm Al Zawaya Group, and two others based in Sudan, an EU statement said.
Also hit were the head of Hamas' "foreign investment activities", a money changer enabling transfers from backer Iran and the official in charge of the groups "Charitable Institutions Association", it said.
The EU said in addition it was imposing sanctions on Ali Morshed Shirazi, a senior Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp official overseeing Tehran's links to Palestinian groups from Lebanon.
Top Hamas official Maher Rebhi Obeid "responsible for directing Hamas' terrorist operatives in the West Bank" was also put on the list.
EU diplomats said that following the latest sanctions on Hamas the bloc should now impose a second round of measures targeting violent Israeli extremists in the West Bank.
The 27-nation EU -- which has struggled for a united position on the Gaza war -- in April imposed sanctions on four extremist Israeli settlers and two groups over violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Source: Agence France Presse
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