Iraq designates Hezbollah and the Houthis as terrorist organizations
Iraq has announced the designation of Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis as terrorist organizations, along with the freezing of their movable and immovable assets, due to their involvement in “committing a terrorist act.”
According to documents published in Issue No. 4848 of the Iraqi Official Gazette dated November 17, the government committee has added Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Houthis to the terrorism lists, in implementation of international measures related to combating terrorism and its financing. This decision is based on Law No. 39 of 2015 on anti–money laundering and counter-terrorism financing, Regulation No. 6 of 2023 on freezing terrorist assets, and the United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and entities associated with them.
These decisions require all banks, financial institutions, and relevant authorities in Iraq to freeze the movable and immovable assets belonging to the listed names, and to prohibit any direct or indirect financial or banking transactions with them, until further amendments are issued and published in the Official Gazette and on the website of the Anti–Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Office.
The Committee for Freezing Terrorists’ Assets — chaired by the Central Bank Governor, Ali Mohsen Al-Alaq, and composed of representatives from the Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Justice, Finance, the Integrity Commission, as well as the intelligence and counter-terrorism agencies — is the body responsible for implementing Iraq’s international obligations in this field.
