US Labels Hezbollah Iranian Terror Proxy Amid New Sanctions

The US administration has reclassified Hezbollah as an Iranian proxy as part of new sanctions targeting the terror group, Reuters reported on Thursday based on an unreleased statement. The US Treasury now designates Hezbollah as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" entity due to its service under Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force command. A US official told Reuters this reclassification aims to emphasize Hezbollah's operations on behalf of the Iranian regime. Hezbollah was first designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group in 2001 but not under this specific rationale; it also faces US sanctions under a separate "Foreign Terrorist Organization" label.

In addition to Hezbollah's reclassification, the US imposed sanctions on 10 individuals accused of laundering money for the group. The official noted these measures are distinct from further planned US actions against Iran, part of an economic pressure campaign intended to compel Tehran to negotiate an end to regional conflicts. Earlier on Thursday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced a press conference scheduled for Monday to unveil what he called the "toughest sanctions in history" against Iran.