Hezbollah strongly condemned the sanctions imposed by the European Union on Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad.
In a statement issued by Hezbollah's media relations office on Saturday, it was clarified that the European Union continues its aggressive policy toward Syria, its legitimate government, and its resisting people, targeting Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad, who has made notable efforts to explain the Syrian position in international forums and defend Syria and its interests and sovereign decision. The statement added that Hezbollah denounces and condemns the sanctions imposed by the European Union on Minister Mikdad and regrets the Union's policy of hostility and creating tensions towards Syria, pointing out the contradiction in the EU’s actions, which cover terrorism and support terrorist organizations in various forms, while imposing sanctions on a minister in the legitimate Syrian government, instead of facilitating dialogues through the Syrian Foreign Ministry to establish security and stability in the region.
Hezbollah announced its solidarity with Minister Mikdad, praising his long diplomatic experience and effective role in serving the Syrian people over the years in various positions and circumstances.
The Council of the European Union announced in a press statement on Friday (January 15) that it decided to add Faisal Mikdad's name to the list of individuals subject to restrictive European measures regarding Syria, in light of his recent appointment as Foreign Minister.
The press statement from the Council of the European Union indicated that the sanctions target companies and employers who benefit from their connections to the regime and from the war economy. With this step, the number of Syrian officials and their allies whose assets have been frozen by the European Union and who have been banned from traveling to member states has risen to 289, in addition to 70 entities subjected to sanctions. In October, the European Union expanded its sanctions list against Syrian officials to include new ministers in the government of Hussein Arnous.
At that time, the sanctions included the Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection, Talal al-Barazi, the Minister of Culture, Lubana Mushouh, the Minister of Education, Darem Tabbaq, the Minister of Justice, Ahmed al-Sayed, the Minister of Water Resources, Tammam Raad, the Minister of Finance, Kinan Yaghi, and the Minister of Transport, Zuhair Khuzayim.
It is worth noting that Faisal Mikdad was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs following the death of Walid al-Muallem in November. Mikdad began his career at the Foreign Ministry in 1994 and served as Deputy Foreign Minister from 2006 until he took over the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.
