Honduras declares Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group

By Vakkas Dogantekin

ANKARA (AA) - The pro-Israel government of President Juan Orlando Hernandez in Central American nation of Honduras has formally declared Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

"We declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization and will include it in the registry of persons and institutions linked to acts of terrorism and its financing," Luis Suazo, Honduras’ deputy security minister, said on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, Hernandez gave the green light on Twitter, saying that "Tomorrow, coinciding with the third Western Hemisphere Counterterrorism Ministerial conference, the National Defense and Security Council of Honduras will designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization."

Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon thanked Hernandez over Twitter, calling the designation "an important step in the fight against Iranian terrorism and proxies in the Middle East and throughout the world."

In 2019, Argentina and Paraguay designated Hezbollah as a terrorist entity.

Following Honduras, President of Guatemala Alejandro Giammattei, last week said his country would follow suit in blacklisting Hezbollah and move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

While Hezbollah is listed as a terror organization by the U.S., U.K., Canada, and the Arab League, the European Union currently recognizes only the group’s military wing as such.

Honduras has recently opened a trade office in Jerusalem and expected to move its embassy to the city in the upcoming weeks.