Australia designated all of Lebanon’s Hezbollah as a “terrorist organization”, extending its ban on the group’s military wing to the entire organization.
The Lebanese Hezbollah, involved in terrorist attacks, drug trafficking, weapon smuggling, and money laundering, was founded by Ayatollah Khomeini and funded, armed, and trained by Iran’s terrorist designated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The militia that acts as a proxy group for Iranian IRGC has been involved in countless terrorist attacks and illegal activities following the direct orders of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and has been trying to overthrow the elected government of Lebanon.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said the Iran-backed Shia group “continues to threaten terrorist attacks and provide support to terrorist organizations.” She added that Hezbollah poses a “real and credible” threat to Australia.
The US has long listed Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
Meanwhile, Australia had only designated the military wing of the Lebanese Shia group as a terrorist organization since 2003.
IRGC-backed Hezbollah’s money laundering, smuggling, and destabilizing activities have also led to tougher sanctions, which is another cause of the current economic and political crisis in Lebanon, which has put the country back on the brink of civil war.
Hezbollah’s meaning and image have drastically changed in the eyes of Lebanese people, as it is now also considered the biggest obstacle to advancing the investigation into the tragic explosion in the port of Beirut on August 4, 2020.
Lebanese public outcry continues to escalate against Iran and the IRGC-backed Hezbollah’s intervention in Lebanon which has become a major factor in the country’s economic crisis.
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah is known to control a death squad that has assassinated prominent opponents, intimidating the Lebanese people and holding them hostage to Iran’s agenda.
The Lebanese Hezbollah, involved in terrorist attacks, assassinations, drug trafficking, weapon smuggling, and money laundering, was founded by Ayatollah Khomeini and is funded, armed, and trained by Iran’s terrorist designated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).