A US official, during a visit to Lebanon on Monday, called on the authorities to “end Iran’s malign influence through Hezbollah,” stressing that Washington is determined to halt Tehran’s funding of the group hostile to Israel.
“We believe that the key for the Lebanese people to take back their country is to end Iran’s malign influence through Hezbollah,” said John Hurley, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, speaking to three journalists, including AFP.
According to him, the US administration is “very serious” in its determination “to cut off Iran’s funding” to Hezbollah.
Hurley was part of a delegation led by Sebastian Gorka, the White House’s counterterrorism chief, which has met with Lebanese leaders since Sunday.
A Lebanese official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the delegation had delivered a “firm and clear” message about the need to actively combat Hezbollah’s sources of financing.
According to the US Treasury, Iran has transferred more than one billion dollars to Hezbollah in Lebanon since January 2025, notably through currency exchange offices.
Hurley emphasized that Hezbollah is funded by “a lot of cash, a lot of gold, and some cryptocurrency.”
Washington is seeking to dry up Hezbollah’s sources of funding while continuing to pressure Lebanese authorities to disarm the group.
On Thursday, the United States imposed sanctions on Hezbollah members accused of facilitating the transfer of funds from Iran through exchange offices used by the group to rebuild its military infrastructure.
The US. Treasury delegation reportedly also gave Lebanon a two-month deadline – until the end of the year – to implement deep reforms and adopt concrete measures on several issues deemed priorities by Washington, according to Lebanese outlet Houna Loubnan on Monday.
These measures notably include the disarmament of militias, ensuring the monopoly of arms by the Lebanese state, strengthening national sovereignty across the entire territory, and granting the Lebanese army effective control over military power. They also include the implementation of structural reforms and the opening of negotiations with Israel on pending issues.
Still according to Houna Loubnan, the American delegation insisted on the urgency of action, warning that the “window of opportunity” offered to Lebanon would quickly close in the absence of clear decisions. Without tangible progress, the country risks “losing international attention,” particularly that of the United States, and finding itself on its own in the face of a possible escalation of Israeli strikes.
The American envoys also expressed concern about Hezbollah’s rebuilding of its military capabilities, its refusal to surrender its weapons, and its opposition to any prospect of negotiation. They reportedly concluded that the current situation “shows no signs of improvement,” which could lead to a gradual international disengagement.
On Sunday, the American delegation was received by President Joseph Aoun at the Baabda Palace. Discussions focused on combating Hezbollah’s financing, strengthening financial controls, and cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Other meetings with Lebanese officials were scheduled for Monday.
It is worth recalling that before arriving in Beirut, the US Treasury delegation had visited Israel and Turkey to reinforce security and technological cooperation aimed at cutting off Hezbollah’s financial networks. According to several reports, Ankara has been used as a financial transit platform, including through digital applications.
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