Reuters, Ministers and
members of parliament belonging to Lebanon’s Hezbollah could be
sanctioned under a new U.S. law targeting the group’s finances, a U.S.
Treasury official said on Friday.

The
U.S. Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act (HIFPA) passed in
December threatens sanctions against anyone who finances Hezbollah in a
significant way.

It has ignited an
unprecedented dispute between Lebanon’s most powerful group – the
heavily armed Hezbollah – and a central bank widely seen as a pillar of
the otherwise weak and dysfunctional Lebanese state.

When
asked in an interview with television channel LBC if the law could be
applied to Hezbollah ministers and MPs in Lebanon, the U.S. Teasury’s
Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Daniel Glaser said: “We
don’t make a distinction among Hezbollah members.”

Iran-backed
Hezbollah, whose fighters played a major role in forcing Israel to
withdraw from southern Lebanon in 2000, enjoys strong support in the
Lebanese Shi’ite community. Its members include government ministers,
MPs, and local councillors.

Classified
as a terrorist group by the United States, Hezbollah wields enormous
political influence in Lebanon and its powerful military wing is playing
a major role in the Syrian conflict.

The Lebanese
central bank and U.S. officials have repeatedly said the law does not
target ordinary Lebanese citizens, or the Shi’ite community in
particular, and will not adversely affect the country’s financial
sector.

“We understand the difference between Hezbollah and the broader Shi’ia community,” Glaser said.

“We are
implementing this law world wide. Obviously it has specific impact here
in Lebanon because Hezbollah has a big presence here in Lebanon. But
Hezbollah is the target of this legislation, not the Shi’ia. And I can’t
say that strongly enough,” he said.

(Reporting by Lisa Barrington)