Nasrallah slams US bans on Lebanese officials

The secretary general of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement praised Free Patriotic Movement Leader Gebran Bassil’s “courageous stance” over US sanctions imposed on him last week.

According to Tasnim news agency, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah said during a televised address on Wednesday “Bassil came to inform me and told me the US gave him two choices and that he wouldn’t comply with the demand (to break ties with Hezbollah), because it would compromise Lebanon’s independence and freedom ... it was a courageous and patriotic stance.”

“I advised him to take any position to avoid getting harmed,” Nasrallah said, adding that he offered to help Bassil in “any way we can.”

“Bassil said he didn’t need our help, but wanted to keep us in the loop,” he said.

“We applaud Bassil’s decision,” Nasrallah said, and asked for others to stand in solidarity with him.

Nasrallah lambasted the US for imposing sanctions on Lebanese officials, as two former ministers from two parties were also blacklisted in September.

“With what legal and moral right does the US classify who is corrupt or not? A country that is the leader in terrorism and corruption,” he said.

Nasrallah said that sanctioning Lebanese officials was a sovereign issue and that he would not be happy if his opponents were sanctioned or listed as terrorists, and that it is a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Bassil Friday was blacklisted by the US under the Magnitsky Act for corruption and human rights violations, however in a speech Sunday, the FPM leader revealed that the prime demand of the US was for him to break his alliance with Hezbollah and that there was “no mention of corruption” in his conversations with US officials.

“If you are saying that Bassil is corrupt ... if he breaks ties with Hezbollah will he stop being corrupt? You are contradicting yourself,” Nasrallah said addressing the US.

Nasrallah also accused the US for manipulating the dollar currency and using the deterioration of the economy as a weapon to turn the Lebanese people against Hezbollah by holding the group responsible.

He noted that the US largely failed in its mission.

Commenting on the dubious US presidential elections, Nasrallah expressed joy at, what US media claim, President Donald Trump’s defeat.

“On a personal level, I’m very happy about Trump’s humiliating downfall, as US media claim, ... particularly over his crime, the crime of the century, the assassination of (Iranian Lt. Gen.) Qassem Soleimani and (Iraqi Commander) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis,” he said.

Nasrallah said that the main element of American foreign policy will remain to guarantee Israel’s interests under the next administration.

“I don't think next US president will reverse Trump's position on al-Quds,” he said, adding that he could adopt a different approach to the two-state solution.

ME