Lebanon working to tackle terror financing, Aoun tells US delegation

Talks in Beirut come with President under pressure to cut off funds to Hezbollah

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, right, meets the US delegation, led by senior director for counter-terrorism Sebastian Gorka, second right, at the presidential palace. AFP

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has told a visiting US delegation that Beirut is working to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing, as Washington pushes to cut off funds and arms to Hezbollah.

Lebanon "rigorously applies the established procedures to prevent money laundering, smuggling, or its use in financing terrorism, and severely punishes financial crimes of all kinds", Mr Aoun said on Sunday in a meeting with the American delegation at the presidential palace.

The talks were held days after the US imposed sanctions on three Hezbollah members accused of money laundering to finance the Iran-backed group, which is considered a terrorist organisation by the US and other western nations.

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The US delegation was led by senior director for counter-terrorism Sebastian Gorka and also included John Hurley, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. Mr Hurley told The National last week that the Middle East had an opportunity for peace if pressure was increased on Iran, which he called the “head of the beast” of regional instability. Mr Hurley added that he wanted Lebanon to “get more serious about pushing out foreign influence”.

Hezbollah has been severely weakened by a war last year with Israel, which was halted by a November 2024 ceasefire. The Lebanese government is now under pressure from Washington to disarm the group.

The US imposed sanctions against the three Hezbollah members on Thursday, accusing them of involvement in the transfer of tens of millions of dollars from Iran. Part of the funding was moved through money exchange businesses that operate in cash, a US Treasury statement said.

John Hurley, US undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, has called for greater regional pressure on Iran. Victor Besa / The National

Since January this year, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has "transferred over $1 billion" to Hezbollah, "mostly through money exchange companies", the Treasury said.

Mr Hurley said on Sunday night in a post on X that he, Mr Aoun and Mr Gorka "discussed ways in which we can partner together to stop the flow of money from Iran to Hezbollah and create a safer and more prosperous Lebanon".

Israel has been bombing Lebanon's border areas regularly despite the ceasefire, claiming it is working to prevent Hezbollah from rearming.

But on Monday morning, an Israeli drone strike killed one person while they were driving their car on a busy stretch of road near Al Bisariya. While the town is in south Lebanon, it is far away from the border area.

Later on Monday, as children were leaving school, the Israeli military carried out at least 15 air strikes on different areas of south Lebanon, and also attacked the eastern Bekaa Valley.

The Israeli military claimed it was attacking Hezbollah infrastructure, without providing any evidence.

Overnight, Israeli troops also raided the border village of Houla and blew up three houses.

Two people were killed on Sunday when Israel carried out more air strikes on southern Lebanon, the country's Health Ministry said.

Mr Aoun on Sunday called for "pressure on Israel to stop its ongoing attacks". This would allow for the completion of the Lebanese army's deployment to the southern border and the activation of a plan to implement a monopoly on weapons.

The President repeated that Lebanon is open to negotiations with Israel, but said talks require a cessation of hostilities and stability in the south.