Clinton Says Sanctions on Hizbullah Aim to Disrupt Links with Iran, Syria
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Fresh sanctions slapped by the United States are meant to "expose and disrupt" links between Iran, Hizbullah movement and Syria, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Saturday.
She said the "number one goal" of Washington and Ankara was to hasten the end of Bashar Assad's regime in Damascus and stop the bloodshed, while warning that Syria must not become a haven for Kurdish rebels battling Turkey.
"We are continuing to increase pressure from outside," Clinton told a joint press conference in Istanbul after meeting Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Syrian opposition activists.
"Yesterday in Washington we announced sanctions designed to expose and disrupt the links between Iran, Hizbullah and Syria that prolong the life of the Assad regime."
Washington on Friday announced sanctions against Syrian state oil company Sytrol for trading with Iran, in a bid to starve both Tehran and Damascus of much-needed revenue.
The U.S. Treasury also said it was adding Hizbullah, which has close ties with Iran and Syria, to a blacklist of organizations targeted under Syria-related sanctions.
Washington already classes Hizbullah a "terrorist organization" and it is under U.S. sanctions, but Friday's move explicitly ties the group to the violence in Syria, where Assad is attempting to put down a 17-month revolt.
Hizbullah was added to a blacklist associated with an executive order signed by U.S. President Barack Obama in August last year which targeted the government of Syria and its supporters.
The sanctions are designed to increase pressure on Damascus as the conflict escalates sharply after the failure of former U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan and his dramatic resignation.
But 17 months after the start of the uprising the Syrian leader remains in power, and more than 20,000 people have been killed.
Hizbullah has denied a report recently published by the Saudi newspaper Okaz about the death of 56 of its fighters in battles in Syria’s Aleppo.
“This report is baseless, has nothing to do with reality and was fabricated by the imagination of the sources that composed it,” the party said.
11 August 2012, 15:57
53
to all m14 commentators,
lately someone pointed out to me that trying to discuss with m8 guys is useless, and I agree with him, as all that will happen is insults and more insults.
in the spirit of one unified Lebanon, I urge all m14 not to reply to comments from m8 at any cost.
if they do not want to realize what their policies and actions are doing to our country, we should not do the same.
I hope you will all comply, even when they attack us directly.
11 August 2012, 16:03
53
After what has been known of the syrian regime through the arrest of samaha, if hizbushaitan chief comes out and talks about his divine alliance with this murderous regime, he would be committing total political suicide on the internal level.
there is not a single true Lebanese that will accept alligning himself with this murderous regime, otherwise this would mean they are equally murderous towards Lebanon.
if hizbushaitan does not change course following these irrefutable revelations, then he would be confirming how bad they are for Lebanon.
11 August 2012, 16:11
00
Clinton has made it more clear and evident that US and its terrorist buddies supported the west/Sunni ethnic genocide towards the Shia in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon and soon again they wish to repeat it in Iran and Lebanon. The good news is that they lost their terrorist attack on Syria, they lost in 2006 and before in Lebanon and they will lost if they attempt on Iran and Lebanon again. For the commentator above she/he clearly show how Lebanon is divided and how people thinks. Lebanese cannot live in peace with each others, they only think about their own sect before the nation. This is sad to see and how poor knowledge is among some Lebanese. For the article, Lebanon should expel (PNG) the US embassy from Lebanon, along with their allies.
11 August 2012, 18:09
00
It is very true Geha was just talking to a friend exactly about it that its useless to reason with HA or orangies as they follow blindly their leaders. In such a situation all lebanese should be against Syria as its clear its trying to destroy Lebanon but here you are useless and brainwashed people.
11 August 2012, 18:10
00
The American's have succeeded with Michel Samaha. Reminds me of the weeks and months leading to the September 11 Twin Towers Bombings. Recent events or speeches from the President and down have demonstrated the Lebanese have out-smart and played the American (& regional countries e.g. Saudi Arabia) game so to not allow their plan to succeed.
11 August 2012, 19:50
00
What took them so long? This is obviously too little too late, but a good start.
