Hezbollah Denounces UK Move to Ban Lebanese Movement

TEHRAN – Lebanon’s Hezbollah condemned a recent decision by the British government to impose a full ban on activities of the resistance movement, describing the move as mere “propaganda”, according to Tasnim news Agency.

Hezbollah on Monday denounced the “hostile move” by the UK as “propaganda”, Lebanon’s Arabic-language al-Akhbar newspaper reported, citing sources close to the movement.

The decision is not going to affect Hezbollah’s ties with London as they have been strained for many years, the sources added.

 UK Home Secretary (interior minister) Sajid Javid said on Monday that the government will designate the entire Hezbollah organization as a “terrorist” entity as of Friday subject to the approval of the parliament.

Javid, an extreme right-wing politician of Pakistani origin, said the UK government was no longer able to maintain a distinction between Hezbollah’s political and military activities and thus will include the group’s political unit in its blacklist.

“Hezbollah is continuing in its attempts to destabilize the fragile situation in the Middle East – and we are no longer able to distinguish between their already banned military wing and the political party,” said Javid, adding, “Because of this, I have taken the decision to proscribe the group in its entirety,” he added in a statement.

R.S