The leader of Hezbollah said on Friday that Washington is seeking to open channels of communication despite ramping up sanctions against the Iran-backed movement’s officials.
Hezbollah's leader said that despite ramping up sanctions against the officials of the Iran-backed movement, Washington was trying to open communication channels.
U.S. President Donald "Trump's administration seeks to open communication channels through mediators to Hezbollah in Lebanon. ... These are the American pragmatists," said Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an interview with al-Manar TV from Hezbollah without elaborating.
The U.S. Department of State did not comment on the assertion.
New sanctions this week marked the first time the U.S. has targeted the heavily-armed Shi'ite Hezbollah lawmakers who are part of the coalition government of Lebanon.
The U.S. Treasury added to its sanctions list three Hezbollah figures, including two Lebanese MPs and a security official.
The move expands a U.S. campaign that has designated 50 inpiduals and entities associated with Hebzollah since 2017, which Washington categorizes as an "terrorist" organization.
Nasrallah called the new sanctions "an honor" that went against Hezbollah and its allies as "part of the continuing fight."
“What’s new is the affront to the Lebanese state,” Nasrallah said.
“At the end of the day, Hezbollah is an important part of the country. The Lebanese government will tell the Americans, as it has before, that Hezbollah is a part and parcel that we can not ignore,” he added.
On Tuesday, an official in the U.S. State Department said the message was that the remainder of the Lebanese government "needs to cut off their dealings" with these officials.
On Wednesday, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said the penalties were moving in a "new direction," but would not impact public work, according to Reuters.
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