US slaps new sanctions on Iran-backed Shia militias
US slaps new sanctions on Iran-backed Shia militias
The State Department applied the sanctions on the three Shia militias for violating a law that restricts weapons transfers involving Iran, Syria and North Korea.
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Hezbollah are on the list of banned organisations [Getty]
The on MondayÌýslappedÌýnew sanctions on three major Iran-backed ShiaÌýmilitias in LebanonÌýand Iraq for violating a weapons transfer law.
The measures target Lebanon's Ìýand Iraq's Kataib Hezbollah andÌýAsaib Ahl Al-Haq,Ìýall of which are backed by .
Two Syrian companies, Wael Issa Trading Establishment and Ayman Al Sabbagh Trading, were alsoÌýtargeted by the sanctions, as were three Russian firms –ÌýCharter Green Light Moscow, Asia-Invest LLC and NPP Pulsar LLC.Ìý
Introduced in 2000, the non-proliferation law was originally meant to target weapons transfers to or from Iran, but was later updatedÌýto include Syria and North Korea.
As per the ban, no US government departments, agencies, orÌýpersonnel can sign contracts with or assist the sanctioned entities.
Arms sales to the groupsÌýare also banned.
All threeÌýof the militiasÌýhave been targeted by US sanctions before.
Lebanese individuals linked with Hezbollah wereÌýmost recently targeted with US in May.
designated as a terrorist organisation in January 2020.
was designated as a terrorist organisation by the US in 2009. Two of the militia's websites were seized by the US Treasury in and in , and was sanctioned in January of this year.ÌýÌý
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