The United States announced on Thursday new sanctions against the Lebanese “Hezbollah” party targeting its representative to Iran and one of its major financiers. The US Treasury said Mohammed Ibrahim Bazzi was a “Hezbollah” financier operating through Belgium, Lebanon and Iraq, and was a close associate of Gambia’s former President Yahya Jammeh, who is accused of acquiring vast wealth during his decades-long rule. The Treasury also imposed sanctions on “Hezbollah’s” representative to Iran, Abdullah Safieddine, who it said served as an interlocutor between “Hezbollah” and Iran on financial issues. Safieddine is “Hezbollah” Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah’s cousin. The department said it had blacklisted Belgian energy services conglomerate Global Trading Group; Gambia-based petroleum company Euro African Group; and Lebanon-based Africa Middle East Investment Holding, Premier Investment Group SAL Offshore and import-export group Car Escort Services. All were designated because they are owned or controlled by Bazzi, the Treasury said. “This action highlights the duplicity and disgraceful conduct of ‘Hezbollah’ and its Iranian backers. Despite Nasrallah’s claims, ‘Hezbollah’ uses financiers like Bazzi who are tied to drug dealers, and who launder money to fund terrorism,” said Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin in a statement carried on the department’s website. “The savage and depraved acts of one of ‘Hezbollah’s’ most prominent financiers cannot be tolerated,” he added. “This administration will expose and disrupt ‘Hezbollah’ and Iranian terror networks at every turn, including those with ties to the Central Bank of Iran,” he stated. As a result of Thursday’s action, all property and interests in property of these persons that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons must be blocked and reported to the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Thursday’s sanctions are the latest in a series of others announced earlier this week against the Iran-backed “Hezbollah”. In one of the biggest moves this week aimed at clamping down on Iran’s overseas operations, the Treasury sanctioned Iran’s central bank governor, Valiollah Seif. On Wednesday, the United States, backed by Gulf States, imposed additional sanctions on “Hezbollah’s” top two leaders, Nasrallah and his deputy Naim Qassem. The sanctions are among a slew of fresh measures aimed at Iran and “Hezbollah” since US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal last week. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to outline in a speech in Washington on Monday plans by the United States to build a coalition to look closer at what it sees as Iran’s “destabilizing activities,” spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters at the State Department. Observers have expressed concern that the sanctions against “Hezbollah” will complicate the formation of a new Lebanese government in wake of recent parliamentary elections in the country. The polls saw “Hezbollah” and its allies achieve a majority in parliament. Observers noted to Asharq Al-Awsat that this was the first time that sanctions targeted the party’s political and military wings, adding that “Hezbollah’s” inclusion in the cabinet may lead to wider sanctions against the whole of Lebanon.