Lebanon's Bassil: U.S. sanctions are unjust and politically motivated

FILE PHOTO: Gebran Bassil, head of the Free Patriotic movement, speaks at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon October 22, 2020. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir/File Photo

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Prominent Christian politician Gebran Bassil, the son-in-law of Lebanon’s president, said on Sunday that U.S. sanctions against him were unjust and politically motivated and came after he refused to break ties with Hezbollah to protect Lebanon.

Bassil, in a televised speech, denied U.S. accusations of corruption. “These sanctions are an injustice and I will fight them and sue for damages,” he said.

The United States on Friday blacklisted Bassil, the leader of Lebanon’s biggest Christian political bloc, accusing him of corruption and ties to the Iranian-backed Shi’ite Hezbollah movement that Washington deems a terrorist group.

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