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The US Treasury announced this evening the application of sanctions on militias in Iraq coordinated with Iran.
The US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated six individuals associated with the Iraq-based Iran-aligned militia group (IAMG) Kata’ib Hizballah (KH). Trained, funded and supported by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF), KH is behind the latest spate of attacks against the United States and partners in Iraq and Syria following the horrific attacks by Hamas against Israel. The US State Department also designates Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS) and KSS leader Hashim Pinyan Rahim al-Saraji. KSS, another IAMG based in Iraq that receives support from the Revolutionary Guards, has planned and been involved in attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria.
“Today’s action sends a message to Kataib Hezbollah and all other organizations supported by Iran, that the United States will use all available means to hold accountable any opportunistic actors seeking to exploit the situation in Gaza for their own purposes,” said Under Secretary of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian A. Nelson. “We remain fully committed to security and stability in the Middle East and are steadfast in our efforts to disrupt these destabilizing activities.”
KH was previously designated by the US State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and as a Special Global Terrorist (SDGT) in 2009, due to being responsible for a large number of terrorist attacks against US and Iraqi government targets in Iraq, many on behalf of the Iranian government and The revolution-QF. KH continued to launch unprovoked drone and rocket attacks on Iraqi and US military locations in Iraq and Syria.
Sanctions were also imposed on senior leaders and supporters of Hezbollah, among them:
Imad Naji Al-Bahdli (Al-Bahdli) is a member of the KH Ruling Council, KH’s leading decision-making body. Before his appointment to the Shura Council, al-Bhadli was responsible for KH’s operational elements involved in carrying out attacks and kidnappings. Al-Bhadli recruited KH members to join teams to carry out operations in Iraq that were planned and approved by the Revolutionary Guards. In coordination with the US-appointed Secretary General of the KH, Ahmed al-Hamidawi, al-Bahadli planned to intimidate Iraqi politicians who did not support the removal of US forces from Iraq and other political priorities of the KH. At the behest of KH officials, al-Bahadli sought to identify US military installations and US companies that could serve as targets for future KH strikes, to be launched at the behest of the IRGC-QF. In preparation for these attacks on US interests, al-Bahadli sent KH militants to train in Lebanon with the US-designated Lebanese terrorist organization, where he himself was trained.
Habib Hassan Mugamis Draghi (Draghi) serves as KH’s foreign manager. Draghi coordinated the training of KH fighters in Iran with the Revolutionary Guards and facilitated the smuggling of goods from Iran to KH members in Iraq.
Jafar al-Husseini (al-Husseini) is one of KH’s main media spokesmen and coordinated with KH fighters planning attacks against US military personnel in Iraq.
Khalid Kadim Jassim al-Sakni (al-Sakni) is a senior KH military commander who worked with the Revolutionary Guards to train KH fighters.
Basim Mohammad Hasab al-Majidi (Al-Majidi) is KH’s head of commercial development and works directly with KH’s Shura Council members. Al-Majidi also served as the CEO of the KH-affiliated Al-Itjah satellite TV station and sought Iranian technical expertise to create news and propaganda in support of KH.
Mojtaba Jahandust (Jahandust) is a Revolutionary Guard official in the QF who facilitates the travel and training of KH fighters in Iran.
Al-Bhadli, Daraji, Al-Hussaini, Al-Sakni and Al-Majidi are defined in accordance with EO 13224, as amended, for acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, KH. Jahandost is indicted under EO 13224, as amended, for having substantially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services or support for, KH.
