Washington pressures Beirut to target Iran and Hezbollah financing networks

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on the Lebanese government to take measures targeting financial networks affiliated with Iran and Hezbollah, during a meeting in Washington with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Finance Minister Yassine Jaber. He stressed the importance of reforming Lebanon's financial sector to restore confidence in the banking system, as Washington intensifies sanctions on networks it says fund Hezbollah or help evade sanctions. This comes amid Lebanon's efforts to restructure its banks and resume negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.