US sanctions … Assad is wrapping up Lebanese and foreign companies

The narrow Economic Chamber in Syria has been known for its close relationship with Lebanese businessmen and various companies over many years, but it began to appear in the public nearly two years ago, as part of the reconstruction campaign in Syria, as the Syrian regime tried to avoid the effects of economic sanctions, but its efforts did not He was crowned with success with Washington’s insistence on banning every foreigner dealing with Damascus.The Caesar Act, which was approved by the US Congress, came into effect last June, to start the sanctions against the Syrian regime and its allies, the last of which was the inclusion of the US Treasury, this week, of the Lebanese Kamal Imad al-Din al-Madani and Tariq Imad al-Din al-Madani, as both One of the founders of the oil company, Salizar, is on the sanctions list.

Salizar has an 85 percent joint ownership interest in two joint ventures with the Syrian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the Syrian Refining and Distribution Corporation (PERD) to establish two new oil refineries in Syria.

According to the data of the Lebanese Commercial Registry, the “Salizar” family company, of its type, is limited liability, and all its partners are of the same surname (Imad El Din Al Madani), and it was registered on April 12, 2018, at 12:00 midnight (an unusual procedure in law).According to the company’s official file, the subject of its work revolves around “general trade, import, export, commission, brokerage, nationalities, marketing, promotion, establishment and management of factories of all kinds, transportation, sea and land freight, and all real estate trade and construction,” according to its official file.

And the file continued that, the company that specializes in oil business in Syria, contrary to its subject matter, did not mention in its official record any restrictions, contracts and agreements, according to what appears in its schedule published on the Lebanese Commercial Registry website.

Salizar is not the only one, as the Syrian regime worked to rely on Lebanese companies, mostly Lebanese partners, to circumvent the US sanctions, which, according to legal sources, was aware of the danger to its corrupt economy, according to legal sources, to the Al-Hurra website.

The sources added that “about 13 companies related to reconstruction and contracting were established in the Lebanese commercial registries during the past two years, including but not limited to” AF Contracting “, explaining that” the aim of this is first to allow international investors to enter the reconstruction line without exposing them to danger. ” Penalties”.

An investigation by the “Levent” network, published recently, revealed that a member of the Syrian parliament, Subhi Abash, owns stakes in “Al-Ittihad Petroleum S.A.L” and “Oil Stream Offshore S.A.L”, whose issue is carrying out oil business. .

In this context, the director of the “We Are All Partners” media platform, and the Syrian economic researcher, Ayman Abdel Nour, confirmed in an interview with Al-Hurra that “Lebanon is the main place for money laundering and the pumping of dollars to Syria, as admitted by the President of the regime, Bashar Al-Assad, in his last speech.” Hold Lebanese banks responsible for the collapse of its economy. ”

Abdel Nour revealed that “two companies are registered with the same name in Syria and Lebanon, provided that they operate as an internal company that has bank accounts and economic practice abroad,” adding that “by doing so, the system uses the opening of documentary credits for purchase and import through Lebanese banks and ports, and then transferred inside.” Syrian “.

He pointed out that “after the regime’s work plan was exposed, the latter would resort to Iraq, specifically to establish companies in the Kurdistan region, in addition to others in Europe, especially in Romania, because Rami Makhlouf’s father-in-law, Bashar’s cousin, Walid Othman, has diplomatic immunity that allows him to transfer money Through the diplomatic pouch in the name of the embassy there, as an alternative to Lebanon. ”

And he considered that “the size of foreign companies is huge, and with different names of partners, which are changed every period to evade US sanctions,” noting that “the majority of companies are owned by one person, or by a partner and his brother, in order to be free from the obstacle of capital, and to organize work on a scale and cost.” Significant more than what is recorded in its financial statements. ”

Abdel Nour stressed that “the majority of companies are fully licensed in Lebanon or Syria, and they are not necessarily multinational or offshore companies.”

In light of the continuing economic sanctions against foreign moral and material figures who support Assad, Jalal interviewed, a researcher at the Institute for Strategic Leadership Studies at American University of James, told Al-Hurra that “the United States uses many methods to pressure the regimes it considers Hostile to her. ”

He said, “The American administration has made sure not to slide militarily into the Syrian crisis.”

The researcher at the American Institute considered that “the policy of economic sanctions against the Syrian regime is the maximum that can be used, by imposing sanctions on individuals and entities believed to have an economic relationship with the Syrian regime.”

He said, “When determining the parties to whom economic sanctions are imposed, it becomes practical to shed light on these parties and monitor their movements better, and thus cut off the support channels that these parties obtain to work to support the Syrian regime,” noting that “the only challenge in the issue of economic sanctions is It takes a longer time to obtain results when compared to military power. “