Lebanese Finance Minister to Head to US over Hezbollah Sanctions
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Lebanese Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil Saturday announced that he will head to Washington to discuss recent sanctions imposed by the United States on the country's Hezbollah resistance movement.
"I will visit Washington soon to tackle sanctions against Hezbollah," Khalil said in a tweet.
Khalil told local daily Al-Akhbar in comments Saturday that the visit "comes in accordance with his tasks as finance minister," underlining that the meeting will "serve Lebanon's stance" on the issue, the Daily Star reported.
In December, the US House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill to tighten financial sanctions against Hezbollah.
The "Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015" was passed by the Senate last month, and after the Congress' approval, it was sent to President Barack Obama's office for final approval.
Tn January, the US Treasury Department also sanctioned two Lebanese men suspected of laundering money for Hezbollah.
More than 100 individuals and entities associated with Hezbollah have also been targeted.
Washington accuses the movement of condoning terrorism. However, Hezbollah has been involved in fierce fighting against Daesh terrorists in Syria.
Hezbollah was founded in the 1980s following the Israeli invasion and occupation of southern Lebanon.