As Trump sets out, US and Saudi Arabia blacklist 'terrorist'
Washington : As US President Donald Trump prepared to head to Saudi Arabia on Friday, Washington and Riyadh issued their first "joint terrorist designation" -- blacklisting a Hezbollah leader.
Hashem Safieddine is head of the executive council of Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Lebanese armed movement which Washington has branded a "foreign terrorist organization."
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia joined the United States in designating Hashem Safieddine," the State Department said in a statement.
"As a result, any of his assets held in Saudi Arabia are frozen, and transfers through the Kingdom's financial sector, are prohibited."
Separately, the department's Bureau of Counterterrorism tweeted that this marked the "first-ever" State Department and foreign nation "joint terrorist designation", underlining the close cooperation between US and Saudi officials.
"The action against Safieddine is the latest example of the strong partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia in combatting the financing of terrorism," the State Department said.
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