Iraq’s central bank says listing Hezbollah and Houthis on a frozen assets list was a mistake and orders the correction, sparking political criticism.
BAGHDAD: Iraq’s central bank has said the appearance of Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis on a frozen assets list was a mistake.
According to a document seen by AFP, the bank ordered the correction of the official announcement published in a November 17 gazette.
The gazette had published a decision about Iraq freezing the assets of Iran-backed armed groups due to acts of “terrorism”.
A classified central bank document instructed officials to “remove paragraphs 18 and 19 from the list,” which initially named Hezbollah and the Houthis.
It stated that “the committee did not approve the freezing of these entities’ assets,” and that their appearance on the list “seems to have been a mistake.”
The central bank said the amended decision would be published in the official gazette.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered an “urgent investigation” into “the error”.
The circulation of the initial announcement drew widespread criticism in Iraq, especially among pro-Iran politicians.
Hussein Mounes, the head of a parliamentary bloc close to the armed group Kataeb Hezbollah, accused the government of being “weak” and said it “lacks dignity”.
Kataeb Hezbollah and other Iraqi armed groups are part of the Iran-backed so-called “axis of resistance”.
This axis also includes Hezbollah and the Houthis, with most designated as “terrorist” groups by the United States.
Washington has said it is determined to cut off Hezbollah’s sources of funding and has been pressuring Lebanon to do so.
Iraq has for years navigated a delicate balancing act between its allies Iran and the US.
Washington has also put pressure on Iraq to disarm Iran-backed groups and to free itself from Iranian interference.
It has also sanctioned Iraqis accused of helping Tehran evade sanctions.
