UK expands Hezbollah asset freeze, targets entire organization

Britain’s Treasury said on Friday it designated the entire Lebanese Hezbollah organization as a terrorist group under its Terrorism and Terrorist Financing rules, and as such its assets will be frozen.

Previously it was only Hezbollah’s military wing which was subject to asset freezing under UK government rules.

Hezbollah, a heavily armed group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, was established in 1982 by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and is an important part of a regional Tehran-led alliance known as “the axis of resistance.”

The Treasury spokesperson said following the annual review of the existing designation against  the military wing of the Hezbollah , “the decision was taken to designate the entire organisation under the Terrorist Asset-Freezing Act etc 2010 (TAFA). This brings the designation in line with the Home Office proscription of the organisation in 2019.”

The existing listing of Hezbollah military wing is an EU-wide listing, the spokesperson said. “This remains in place and still applies in the UK.”

“The UK remains committed to the stability of Lebanon and the region, and we continue to work closely with our Lebanese partners,” the spokesperson added.