From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 17, 2025
Sa’ar tells US delegation Turkey cooperating with Iran to smuggle money to Hezbollah
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Meeting with a bipartisan group of US senators and Deputy Middle East Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accuses Turkey of cooperating with Iranian attempts to smuggle money to Hezbollah.
According to Sa’ar’s office, he tells the visitors that “there is an intensified Iranian effort to smuggle money into Lebanon for Hezbollah to restore its power and status. This effort is being carried out, among other channels, via Turkey and with its cooperation.”
The foreign minister also says there are “worrying developments” in Iran’s nuclear program, which come from Tehran’s attempt to compensate for the blows it suffered over the past year.
The group, headed senators Lindsey Graham and Dan Sullivan, also includes senators Sheldon Whitehouse, Richard Blumenthal, Joni Ernst, Adam Schiff, and Andy Kim.
Sa’ar is asked about his opinion on US troops pulling out of Syria. According to his office, he says the time is not right, given the ongoing fight against ISIS and the “new situation” in Syria, including threats to Kurdish autonomy.
The Times of Israel Community.