US sanctions on Iranian Quds Force, Hezbollah

 The United States set a network run by the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps an “international oil smuggling and money laundering network.”
A US Treasury Department report Wednesday stated officials had facilitated the sale of Iranian oil worth hundreds of millions of dollars to both IRGC-QF and Hezbollah.
It acted as a critical part of Iran’s oil revenue generation and supported proxy militant groups that continued to “perpetuate conflict and suffering across the region.”
Undersecretary of the Department of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, reported the United States will continue to rigorously impose sanctions on Iran’s illicit oil trade.
He added that matching sanctions could be applied to anyone who buys oil from Iran.
Ruwan Al-Rejoleh, a Washington-based MENA professional and consultant, called the sanctions an “important step”.
“Aided by Hezbollah, this oil network has been allowed to operate freely for too long. This is an important step, but the administration must continue to push Hezbollah and its allies to the sidelines, “he said.” Hezbollah, which controls the Lebanese energy ministry, recently took advantage of Lebanon’s energy problems to ensure preferential access. to the Lebanese market for their masters in Tehran “.
She added Sonatrach, a state-owned Algerian company, was responsible for sending fuel oil to Lebanon and that its release “aggravated the country’s already crippling energy problems.”
Ghada Aoun, the state prosecutor of Mount Lebanon, has initiated a politically motivated proceeding against Sonatrach, which led to the abandonment of the Algerians, she added.
“Hezbollah used this chaos to secure Iran’s access to Beirut’s energy market.”