Washington: Observers say new economic sanctions imposed by the United States on supporters of Syrian President Assad’s government have also hit Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Lebanon is also facing difficulties with new sanctions under the US government’s Caesar Act. According to analysts, banking and trade relations between Syria and Lebanon are very deep and now Lebanon will have to change its policies, while Lebanon itself is suffering from a severe financial crisis.
Maha Yahya, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, says sanctions under the Caesar Act will hit Lebanon hard.
She says the pressure will increase and many people and organizations in Lebanon do business with Syria and all of them will have to wash their hands of their business interests.
In addition, the pressure on Hezbollah will increase. Because it is the basis of trade and economic relations between the two countries.
The Hezbollah militia is Iranian-backed and part of Iran’s parliament and government. Thus, it will be the most targeted by the Caesar Act.
Joseph Bahut of the Carnegie Institution told the VAO that Hezbollah is already subject to other sanctions and will increase further. However, they will not change the situation much.
Bahut believes Lebanon’s internal security chief will remain in touch with Damascus because it is also in the interest of the Western powers. However, the economic situation in both countries will deteriorate further.
Branches of five Lebanese banks are based in Syria, but they will no longer be able to operate in Syria.Efforts to improve relations between Lebanon and Syria may be hampered and the current policy of the Lebanese government may not be maintained.
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