Bassil: Washington punished me for refusing to break my relationship with Hezbollah

The former Lebanese Foreign Minister, Gebran Bassil, said today, Sunday, that the United States had offered to sever its ties with Hezbollah to avoid imposing economic sanctions on it, before it took this step, accusing it of corruption, considering those sanctions a "crime."

Bassil clarified in a televised speech that he was recently informed by the American ambassador that 4 demands must be met immediately, otherwise US sanctions will be imposed on him, and that the entire conversation did not mention the word "corruption," stressing that the first demand is to "immediately dismantle the relationship with Hezbollah," but he did not It reveals the other demands.

The Americans gave him - according to what he said - several grace periods, and later abandoned their remaining demands, and limited their demand to sever the relationship with Hezbollah, "on which Washington imposes sanctions and considers it a" terrorist ".

After his rejection of the American request, the sanctions were approved, which proved "to be related to corruption and barely mentioned Hezbollah, while they only spoke to me about it," according to Bassil, who denied any accusations of corruption against him.

Bassil considers the US sanctions against him a crime, and says that he will assign a law firm to ask before the American judiciary to "nullify the decision and give it moral and material compensation" (European - Archive)

Bassil

described the penalties against him as a "crime," and said that he would

a law firm to request before the American judiciary to "nullify the decision" and "moral and material compensation."

Bassil emphasized that "we cannot stab Hezbollah," and said, "We do not leave (Hezbollah) under external pressure, if we want to leave it for internal reasons," noting at the same time that there are several differences with the party, including "peace in the region and the existence of Israel." .

On Friday, the US Treasury announced financial sanctions against Bassil - the son-in-law of President Michel Aoun - accusing him of corruption, embezzlement of funds, and links to Hezbollah, which Washington classifies as a terrorist group under the "Magnitsky" Act to combat the impunity of individuals and companies worldwide. Violating human rights or committing acts of corruption.

The US Treasury Department stated that Bassil is "responsible or complicit, or was directly or indirectly involved in corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets and the confiscation of private assets for personal gain."

An American official accused him of using his influence to delay the formation of a government in Lebanon, and said that his political partnership with Hezbollah allowed the latter to expand his influence.

The US State Department also banned Bassil's travel to the United States, and US officials have not ruled out the possibility of imposing new sanctions on Bassil or other Lebanese.

Bassil, 50, who aspires to reach the presidency, heads the Free Patriotic Movement, which was founded by Aoun, and previously held the ministries of Communications, Energy, Water, and Foreign Affairs. Against a political elite the protesters accused of looting the country.

On Saturday, Aoun requested the evidence that prompted Washington to impose sanctions on Bassil.

For the first time, the US sanctions have affected a high-ranking political official who is Hezbollah's Christian allies.

And last September, Washington imposed sanctions on the former minister of the Christian Marada movement allied with Hezbollah, Yusef Fenianos, and the former finance minister, Ali Hassan Khalil, of the Shiite Amal Movement headed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is the most prominent ally of Hezbollah.