On September 17, the Treasury Department announced sanctions, authorized under Executive Order 13224, on a network of facilitators and front companies in the Middle East and Far East that helped fund Hezbollah and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards elite Quds Force. Treasury designated 11 individuals in China, Kuwait, and Lebanon, as well as eight entities in China and Hong Kong. These networks collectively laundered tens of millions of dollars by trading in gold and electronics, exploiting regional financial systems and using currency exchange operations to benefit Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran’s Quds Force.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s Statement
The United States has designated Lebanon- and Kuwait-based members of a financial network that funds Hizballah, as well as members of an international network of financial facilitators and front companies that operate in support of Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). Together, these networks have laundered tens of millions of dollars through regional financial systems and conducted currency exchange operations and trade in gold and electronics for the benefit of both Hizballah and the IRGC-QF. This action is being taken pursuant to the counterterrorism authority within Executive Order 13224, as amended.
Hizballah uses revenues generated by these networks to fund terrorist activities and to perpetuate instability in Lebanon and throughout the region. The United States will not relent in targeting these networks, and we will continue to take actions to disrupt their activities.
Hizballah is increasingly looking for additional sources of revenue to bolster its coffers. We call on governments around the world to take steps to ensure Hizballah and other terrorist groups do not exploit their territory and financial institutions.
Treasury Department Announcement
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating members of a network of Lebanon- and Kuwait-based financial conduits that fund Hizballah. Additionally, OFAC is designating members of an international network of financial facilitators and front companies that operate in support of Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). Together, these networks have laundered tens of millions of dollars through regional financial systems and conducted currency exchange operations and trades in gold and electronics for the benefit of both Hizballah and the IRGC-QF. Hizballah, with the support of the IRGC-QF, uses the revenues generated by these networks to fund terrorist activities, as well as to perpetuate instability in Lebanon and throughout the region.
“Hizballah and the IRGC-QF continue to exploit the international financial system to finance acts of terrorism,” said Office of Foreign Assets Control Director Andrea M. Gacki. “The United States will not hesitate to take action to disrupt networks that provide financial support to Hizballah and IRGC-QF.”
Today’s action is being taken pursuant to the counterterrorism authority Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended. Hizballah was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 on October 31, 2001. The IRGC-QF was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, in 2007 for supporting numerous terrorist groups.
Hizballah’s Financiers in Kuwait and Lebanon
Today’s actions underscore the direct ties between Hizballah’s global financial network and terrorist activities. Hizballah continues to exploit the legitimate commercial sector for financial and material support, which enables the group to carry out acts of terrorism and degrade Lebanon’s political institutions. The designations of the individuals and entities described below demonstrate Treasury’s ongoing efforts to target Hizballah and the essential support provided to it by Iran’s IRGC-QF.
Hasib Muhammad Hadwan, also known as Hajj Zayn, is a senior official in Hizballah’s General Secretariat. He is subordinate to Hizballah’s Secretary General, Hassan Nasrallah, and is responsible for raising funds from donors and businessmen outside Lebanon. OFAC designated Hassan Nasrallah on May 16, 2018, pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, as the leader of Hizballah. Ali al-Sha’ir is Hadwan’s office manager and has been accepting financial contributions on behalf of Hizballah since 2000.
Hasib Muhammad Hadwan is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Hizballah. Ali al-Sha’ir is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hizballah.
Talib Husayn ‘Ali Jarak Ismai’l coordinated the transfer of millions of dollars to Hizballah from Kuwait through Jamal Husayn ‘Abd ‘Ali ‘Abd-al-Rahim al-Shatti. Talib Husayn ‘Ali Jarak Ismai’l also travelled to Lebanon to meet with Hizballah officials to donate money to the group.
Both Talib Husayn ‘Ali Jarak Ismai’l and Jamal Husayn ‘Abd ‘Ali ‘Abd-al-Rahim al-Shatti are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hizballah.
Hizballah and IRGC-QF Currency Exchange, Gold, and Electronics Sales Network
IRGC-QF and Hizballah financial facilitators Meghdad Amini and Ali Qasir helm a network of nearly 20 individuals and front companies, located in multiple countries and jurisdictions, that facilitates the movement and sale of tens of millions of dollars’ worth of gold, electronics, and foreign currency in support of Hizballah and the IRGC-QF. Amini was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 in May 2018 for his role in helping the IRGC-QF transfer cash out of Iran to the UAE for conversion into U.S. dollars. Qasir was previously designated in September 2019 pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for acting for or on behalf of IRGC-QF official Rostam Ghasemi, who oversaw a vast network involved in oil sales on behalf of the IRGC-QF. Qasir, a Hizballah financial facilitator, works with Hizballah officials to manage the group’s bank accounts in Iran and collaborates with IRGC-QF officials to manage financial transactions in the interest of both Hizballah and the IRGC-QF. He has helped transfer hundreds of millions of dollars for the benefit of Hizballah and Iran. Qasir continued to work with Ghasemi to arrange the sale of Iranian oil to foreign customers in order to generate revenue for the IRGC-QF and Hizballah following the pair’s 2019 designations.
Qasir is being designated today pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Hizballah.
Amini and Qasir are aided in their efforts by a team of trusted subordinates. Omid Yazdanparast, Mohammad Ali Damirchilu, and Samaneh Damirchilu facilitate the smuggling of gold and currency from Iran to Turkey via commercial flights operated by U.S.-designated Iranian airline Mahan Air. Mohammad Reza Kazemi facilitates the gold sales in Turkey. Once gold is sold, the proceeds are returned to Iran through the same process, whereupon they are transferred to Amini and Qasir. Samaneh Damirchilu has also worked with Qasir to facilitate the sale of Iranian oil to foreign buyers.
Yazdanparast and Samaneh Damirchilu are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Ali Qasir. Mohammad Reza Kazemi is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Meghdad Amini. Mohammad Ali Damirchilu is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Ali Qasir.
Mostafa Puriya and Hossein Asadollah sell electronics on behalf of this network in the UAE through the Dubai-based company Hemera Infotech FZCO. Puriya and Asadollah are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Meghdad Amini. Hemera Infotech FZCO is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, directly or indirectly, Hossein Asadollah. Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897 at https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/faqs/897. Additional information regarding sanctions programs administered by OFAC can be found at https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information.
Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897 here. Additional information regarding sanctions programs administered by OFAC can be found at https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information.
View identifying information on the individuals and entities designated today.
Other people designated include:
- Jing Song (a.k.a. Crystal Song), Chinese citizen linked to designated entities Victory Somo Group JK Limited and Yummy Be Charm Trading JK Limited
- Seyed Morteza Minaye Hashemi, China-based Iranian citizen linked to designated entities Black Drop Intl Col, Limited, China 49 Group Co, Limited, Damineh Optic Limited, PCA Xiang Gang Limited, and Taiwan Be Charm Trading Co., Limited
- Su Xuan Yan (a.k.a. Suxuan, a.k.a. Yen Yan), Chinese citizen linked to designated individual Seyed Morteza Minaye Hashemi
Other entities designated include:
- Black Drop Intl Co., Limited (f.k.a. United Petrochemical Co., Limited), Hong Kong and China
- China 49 Group Co., Limited, Hong Kong and China
- PCA Xiang Gang Limited Hong Kong
- Victory Somo Group HK Limited, Hong Kong
- Yummy Be Charm Trading HK Limited, Hong Kong
- Damineh Optic Limited, Hong Kong
- Taiwan Be Charm Trading Co., Limited, Hong Kong and China