The US State Department's regional spokeswoman Geraldine Griffiths confirmed on Friday that “the US sanctions imposed on MP Jamil al-Sayyed and businessmen Dany Khoury and Jihad al-Arab are a clear message that the US will target corruption in Lebanon,” stressing that “it seeks to enhance accountability as well as standing by the Lebanese in their demands in order to have a government able to take the radical and required steps to address all difficulties that Lebanon is facing.

Griffiths’ comments were made during an interview with “Sawt Beirut International”, whereby she explained that these sanctioned people were chosen “because of their long record of corruption,” pointing out that “the process of imposing sanctions is a very complex legal issue that requires long time.”

“The US is in constant contact with its partners in the Lebanese government in order to gather information to impose sanctions,” she indicated.