Iran condemns US sanctions on Iranian ambassador and other officials for 'undermining Lebanon's sovereignty'

Tehran: Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned US sanctions on Iranian ambassador-designate to Lebanon Mohammad Reza Rauf Sheiband other Iranian officials, terming Washington's action as "illegal and unjustified".

This comes after the US sanctioned nine people, accusing them of enabling Hezbollah to "undermine Lebanon's sovereignty". The nine people include Hezbollah members, the Iranian ambassador-designate and other officials.

Iran accused the US of disregarding international law and the Charter of the United Nations.


"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the illegal and unjustified action of the US Treasury Department in sanctioning Mohammad Reza Rauf Sheibani, the ambassador-elect of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Beirut, and considers this action as another example of the US ruling body's rebellion and disregard for the indisputable principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, especially the fundamental principle of respecting the national sovereignty of states," Iran Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry also condemned the sanctioning of Hezbollah members and Lebanese security officials, accusing Washington of "weakening Lebanon's national sovereignty" and "inciting sedition in Lebanese society".

"These despicable actions are aimed at weakening Lebanon's national sovereignty and inciting sedition in Lebanese society, and are a sign of the continued complicity of the US ruling body with the aggressor and occupying Zionist regime in continuing military aggression and committing heinous crimes against Lebanon," the Ministry stated.

"Without a doubt, the various Lebanese groups and clans, by maintaining national unity and cohesion, will defend Lebanon's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and by repelling the aggression and ending the occupation of Lebanon, they will prevent the Zionist regime from achieving its sinister goals," they added. The

US Department of the Treasury, in a statement, said that the sanctioned individuals were "obstructing the peace process in Lebanon and impeding the disarmament" of Hezbollah.

According to the US Treasury Department, the nine individuals sanctioned include four members of Hezbollah, among them Mohamed Abdel-Mottaleb Fanich, a leader in the group's executive council; Nizammeddine Fadlallah, an elected member of the Lebanese parliament affiliated with Hezbollah; and senior officials Ibrahim al-Moussawi and Hussein Al-Hajj Hassan.

The sanctions list also includes Iran's ambassador-designate to Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, along with two security officials linked to the Hezbollah-allied Amal Movement -- Ahmad Asaad Baalbaki and Ali Ahmad Safawi.

Additionally, two Lebanese security officials were sanctioned for allegedly sharing "important intelligence" with Hezbollah over the past year, Al Jazeera reported, citing the US Treasury. They were identified as Samir Hamadi, a branch chief in the Lebanese Armed Forces, and Khattar Nasser Eldin, a senior official in the General Directorate for General Security.