The United States condemned on Thursday Hezbollah's recent importation of Iranian diesel into Lebanon as a "public relations game," warning that importing fuel from a sanctioned country will not solve Lebanon's severe fuel crisis. Iran is preparing to send more fuel to Lebanon in the coming days via Syria, to be distributed by its ally without going through Lebanese state institutions, repeating the operation that occurred in mid-September, which again demonstrated that the Shiite party effectively holds decision-making power in a country mired in severe economic and political crises.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters, "Fuel from a country that is subject to numerous sanctions, like Iran, is not a sustainable solution to the energy crisis in Lebanon." He added, "In our view, this is a public relations game played by Hezbollah and not an attempt to find a constructive solution to the problem."
The U.S. spokesman continued, "We support efforts to find transparent and sustainable solutions to address the acute energy and fuel shortage in Lebanon." Price did not clarify whether Lebanon would face U.S. sanctions due to the Iranian diesel shipments, only stating that President Joe Biden is willing to lift sanctions imposed on Iran if it returns to full compliance with the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal with major powers.
The U.S. official's statement comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visits Beirut, following the formation of a new government led by conservative President Ebrahim Raisi. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati criticized the Iranian fuel shipments that entered his country without going through official institutions, expressing his belief that the manner of their entry would not expose Lebanon to U.S. sanctions. Mikati stated, "I am saddened by the violation of Lebanon's sovereignty, but I do not fear sanctions against it, as the operation was carried out independently of the Lebanese government."
According to an Iranian official, Lebanese businessmen purchased the Iranian diesel shipments that arrived by sea in Syria and then entered Lebanon overland in tankers. Hezbollah relied on "Al-Amana Fuel Company" to distribute the materials imported from Iran, a company already under U.S. sanctions since 2020 for being owned by an institution linked to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah's importation of Iranian diesel comes amid a severe fuel crisis in Lebanon due to a decline in its financial ability to import fuel and a rapidly collapsing economy. Lebanon has been suffering from a months-long fuel shortage affecting various sectors including hospitals, bakeries, communications, and food supplies, amid an ongoing economic collapse classified by the World Bank as one of the worst globally since 1850.
