US sanctions 9 Turkish businessmen for Hezbollah cash smuggling
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The US Treasury on Thursday sanctioned nine Turkish businessmen living in Turkey for allegedly smuggling cash to Hezbollah. The action targets a courier network led by Yunus Alper Yilmaz, who is accused of using exchange offices as fronts for transfers tied to Iran's Quds Force. The move comes as Washington prepares what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called the heaviest sanctions on Iran.
Key Facts
- The US Treasury designated nine Turkish businessmen, all residing in Turkey, for allegedly smuggling cash to Hezbollah.
- Yunus Alper Yilmaz was identified as the leader of the network that transferred money to Hezbollah.
- The Treasury said Yilmaz used exchange offices in Turkey as fronts for money transfers linked to Iran's Quds Force.
- The sanctioned couriers include Halil Ibrahim Kacmaz, Onder Dede, Vasfi Akyuz, Mehmet Akyuz, Mehmet Acur, Feyyad Karasalih, Mesud Musafar, Gulay Kaya Savci, and Emrah Ayaz.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a press conference for Monday on what he called the heaviest sanctions on Iran in history.
The Sanctions
The US Treasury on Thursday announced new sanctions targeting Hezbollah, re-designating the group as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for activities on behalf of the Iranian government. The sanctions cover nine Turkish citizens, all businessmen living in Turkey, accused of cash smuggling for Hezbollah. The Treasury said Hezbollah was re-listed because it serves the Iranian regime under the command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force.
The Courier Network
Yunus Alper Yilmaz was sanctioned as the leader of the network that transferred money to Hezbollah. According to the Treasury, Yilmaz manages a courier network responsible for cash transfers between other countries in the region and Hezbollah's base in Lebanon. The Treasury said Yilmaz used some exchange offices in Turkey as fronts for business activities, providing shell companies and bank accounts for money transfers linked to the Quds Force. Nine individuals, mostly Turkish citizens, were also sanctioned for acting as couriers and organizing couriers. The Treasury named Halil Ibrahim Kacmaz and Onder Dede as couriers who collected cash from exchange offices, and Vasfi Akyuz as the coordinator of courier logistics who also served as a courier. Other couriers included Mehmet Akyuz, Mehmet Acur, Feyyad Karasalih, Mesud Musafar, Gulay Kaya Savci, and Emrah Ayaz, who allegedly smuggled cash to Lebanon on commercial flights.
US Pressure on Iran
A US official said the decision was not part of new steps Washington had committed to take against Iran, and that the process was conducted independently. President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that economic consequences would be applied to any country providing a lifeline to Iran, as the US and Israel tried to resolve the war they started about six months ago. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced early Thursday that Washington would hold a press conference on Monday about what he called the heaviest sanctions on Iran in history. Hezbollah, which operates in Lebanon as both a political party and an armed group, was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997 and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2001.
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US sanctions 9 Turkish businessmen for Hezbollah cash smuggling
