The US Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, John Hurley, said the United States wants to seize a “favorable moment” in Lebanon to cut Iranian funding to Hezbollah and push the group to disarm.
“There is a moment now in Lebanon. If we can get Hezbollah to disarm, the Lebanese people could get their country back,” Hurley told Reuters in an interview in Istanbul.
He added that Washington’s goal is to drive out Iranian influence, starting with the money it channels into Hezbollah. “Even with everything Iran has been through, even with the economy struggling, they are still pumping a lot of money to their terrorist proxies,” he said.
According to Hurley, Tehran has funneled nearly $1 billion to Hezbollah this year, despite Western sanctions.
Hurley is scheduled to meet Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Sunday at 6 p.m. to discuss the economic and security situation, as well as US efforts to cut off Hezbollah’s funding sources. He is visiting Lebanon as part of a regional tour including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel.
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