Latest news with #Hezbollah-affiliated
Nahar Net
6 days ago
- Business
- Nahar Net
BDL denies it wants to shut Al-Qard Al-Hasan, Hezbollah slams measures
The Central Bank has denied a media report that claimed it intends to shut down the branches of the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Qard Al-Hasan Association across Lebanon. In remarks to Al-Jadeed TV, Central Bank sources said the report is baseless and that the bank communicated with Al-Arabiya's Al-Hadath television to inform it that its report is unfounded. The report came after the Central Bank issued a circular on Monday barring banks and brokerages from dealing with Al-Qard Al-Hasan, described as Hezbollah's financial arm. The Central Bank prohibited all licensed financial institutions in Lebanon from dealing directly or indirectly with unlicensed entities and listed Hezbollah's Al-Qard Al-Hassan as an example. The bank had issued similar circulars in the past but this was the first time it mentioned Al-Qard Al-Hassan by name. Hezbollah's Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc meanwhile said 'the measures taken by the Central Bank and its governor against the Al-Qard Al-Hasan institution or against Lebanese firms, entities and individuals who are on the unjust lists of U.S. sanctions are a direct attack on the interests of our Lebanese society that violates the constitution and the laws.' It accordingly warned that 'using the Central Bank as a tool to implement foreign policies and dictations against the interests of Lebanese citizens' is a 'dangerous blow to societal stability at a time the country needs to avoid turbulence.' The bloc also stressed that Al-Qard Al-Hasan is 'a non-profit charitable organization that serves Lebanese citizens regardless of their affiliations' and that 'it will continue its work and perform its duties to the fullest extent possible.' The U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Al-Qard Al-Hasan in 2007, saying Hezbollah used it as a cover to manage "financial activities and gain access to the international financial system." Al-Qard Al-Hassan, founded in 1983, describes itself as a charitable organization that provides loans to people according to Islamic principles that forbid interest. Israel struck some of its branches during its war with Hezbollah last year. Operating as a not-for-profit organization under a licence granted by the Lebanese government, it has more than 30 branches, mostly in predominantly Shiite Muslim areas of Beirut and its suburbs, southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley. A Lebanese official said the Central Bank move had been in the works for months, and reflected U.S. pressure on Lebanon to take action against Hezbollah's financial wing. Nassib Ghobril, chief economist at Byblos Bank, said Lebanese banks were already careful to avoid dealing with Al-Qard Al-Hasan because it is under U.S. sanctions.
Nahar Net
16-07-2025
- Business
- Nahar Net
Barrack says ban of dealings with Al-Qard al-Hasan a 'valued' step
by Naharnet Newsdesk 16 July 2025, 13:32 U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has described the Lebanese Central Bank's decision to bar banks and brokerages from dealing with the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Qard Al-Hasan financial institution as a 'step in the right direct by the Lebanese government.' 'Transparency and alignment of all financial intermediaries in Lebanon under the supervision of the Central Bank is a valued and necessary accomplishment,' Barrack said in a post on the X platform. In a circular dated Monday, the Central Bank prohibited all licensed financial institutions in Lebanon from dealing directly or indirectly with unlicensed entities and listed Hezbollah's Al-Qard Al-Hassan as an example. The bank had issued similar circulars in the past but this is the first time that it mentions Al-Qard Al-Hassan by name. The U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Al-Qard Al-Hasan in 2007, saying Hezbollah used it as a cover to manage "financial activities and gain access to the international financial system." Al-Qard Al-Hassan, founded in 1983, describes itself as a charitable organization that provides loans to people according to Islamic principles that forbid interest. Israel struck some of its branches during its war with Hezbollah last year. Operating as a not-for-profit organization under a licence granted by the Lebanese government, it has more than 30 branches, mostly in predominantly Shiite Muslim areas of Beirut, southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley. A Lebanese official said the central bank move had been in the works for months, and reflected U.S. pressure on Lebanon to take action against Hezbollah's financial wing. Nassib Ghobril, chief economist at Byblos Bank, said Lebanese banks were already careful to avoid dealing with Al-Qard Al-Hasan because it is under U.S. sanctions.
Shafaq News
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Hezbollah denies Syria claims on Homs arrest
Shafaq News – Damascus/Beirut Syria's Interior Ministry announced, on Sunday, the arrest of a suspect allegedly plotting terrorist attacks in Homs, following a preemptive operation by the General Intelligence Directorate and local security forces. In a statement, the ministry identified the suspect as Mahmoud Fadel, who was detained after surveillance uncovered multiple ready-to-use improvised explosive devices, claiming he planned to detonate them at undisclosed sites across the province. Initial investigations suggest a possible link between Fadel and a Hezbollah-affiliated cell, the ministry noted, asserting the explosives were smuggled into Syria through illegal border crossings. وكشفت التحقيقات الأوّلية ارتباط الموقوف بخلية تتبع لميليشيا "حزب الله" اللبناني، حيث تبيّن أنه استلم العبوات عبر معابر التهريب غير الشرعية، تمّت مصادرة العبوات الناسفة، وأُحيل الموقوف إلى القضاء المختص لاتخاذ الإجراءات القانونية اللازمة بحقه. #وزارة_الداخلية — وزارة الداخلية السورية (@syrianmoi) July 13, 2025 Hezbollah promptly rejected the allegation, issuing a statement denying any role and insisting it maintains 'no presence or operations inside Syria.' The group reiterated its support for Syrian internal security and distanced itself from the developments in Homs. The arrest comes amid growing international scrutiny of Hezbollah's regional footprint. On Friday, US Special Envoy for Syria and Ambassador to Turkiye Tom Barrack warned of escalating threats tied to the group's influence. In an interview with The National, Barrack urged Lebanon to address Hezbollah's weapons stockpiles or face destabilizing consequences. 'You have Israel on one side, you have Iran on the other, and now you have Syria manifesting itself so quickly that if Lebanon doesn't move, it's going to be Bilad Al Sham again,' he said, referencing the historical term for Greater Syria.
Nahar Net
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Qassem warns attack on Iran to have 'hefty prices'
by Naharnet Newsdesk 6 hours Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem warned in an interview published Monday that 'the attack on Iran will have hefty prices because the entire region is in danger.' In an interview with the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Ahed news portal, Qassem also slammed U.S. President Donald Trump's threats against Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 'Trump's threat to assassinate Imam Khamenei is a vile action and at the same an evidence of weakness,' Qassem added. 'Trump is ignorant of the reverence of this great leader among Muslims and in the world and ignorant of the dangerous repercussions of such threats,' the Hezbollah leader went on to say. He also stressed that 'Iran will emerge victorious, because it is righteous and the one being aggressed against,' adding that 'Iran has the leadership of the brave supreme leader who is insisting that Iran be dignified and strong.' 'Iran has unified people who have left behind their disputes to be unified in the face of the American-Israeli aggression,' Qassem added. As for Israel's continued occupation and attacks in Lebanon, Qassem said Hezbollah supports the Lebanese state's 'diplomatic choice' but would take the 'appropriate decision' if diplomacy fails to achieve Lebanon's objectives. Hezbollah is 'ready to adopt any choice taken by the state to halt the aggression and secure Israel's withdrawal,' he said. Noting that the reconstruction of areas destroyed in the latest war with Israel is the 'top priority' for Hezbollah and for 'the course of the state and its recovery,' Qassem said his group still retains military 'capabilities.' 'The resistance shall stay and continue and it is repairing itself. It has expressed the strength of its continuity through its people, who rushed to their villages in the South and offered martyrs to remain in their land, and also through the million-man funeral for its two (slain) secretaries-general (Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine) … as well as through its effective contributions to the process of building the state and its institutions,' Qassem went on to say.
Nahar Net
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Qassem warns attack on Iran to have 'hefty prices'
by Naharnet Newsdesk 23 June 2025, 16:16 Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem warned in an interview published Monday that 'the attack on Iran will have hefty prices because the entire region is in danger.' In an interview with the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Ahed news portal, Qassem also slammed U.S. President Donald Trump's threats against Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 'Trump's threat to assassinate Imam Khamenei is a vile action and at the same an evidence of weakness,' Qassem added. 'Trump is ignorant of the reverence of this great leader among Muslims and in the world and ignorant of the dangerous repercussions of such threats,' the Hezbollah leader went on to say. He also stressed that 'Iran will emerge victorious, because it is righteous and the one being aggressed against,' adding that 'Iran has the leadership of the brave supreme leader who is insisting that Iran be dignified and strong.' 'Iran has unified people who have left behind their disputes to be unified in the face of the American-Israeli aggression,' Qassem added. As for Israel's continued occupation and attacks in Lebanon, Qassem said Hezbollah supports the Lebanese state's 'diplomatic choice' but would take the 'appropriate decision' if diplomacy fails to achieve Lebanon's objectives. Hezbollah is 'ready to adopt any choice taken by the state to halt the aggression and secure Israel's withdrawal,' he said. Noting that the reconstruction of areas destroyed in the latest war with Israel is the 'top priority' for Hezbollah and for 'the course of the state and its recovery,' Qassem said his group still retains military 'capabilities.' 'The resistance shall stay and continue and it is repairing itself. It has expressed the strength of its continuity through its people, who rushed to their villages in the South and offered martyrs to remain in their land, and also through the million-man funeral for its two (slain) secretaries-general (Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine) … as well as through its effective contributions to the process of building the state and its institutions,' Qassem went on to say.
