Wolin Warns Lebanese Banking Sector from Risks of Dealing with Iran, Syria

U.S. Treasury Deputy Secretary Neal Wolin stressed that his country isn't targeting the Lebanese banking sector rather than it's calling on it to be aware of the risks of dealing with Iran and Syria.

An Nahar daily said Wednesday he pointed out that Lebanon should be keen not to allow Iran and Syria to exploit its banks to evade the sanctions imposed on it.

Wolin held separate talks on Tuesday with President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Minister of Economy Nicolas Nahhas, Bank of Lebanon Governor Riyad Salameh, and a number of representatives from the Lebanese banking community.

As Safir newspaper reported that Wolin and the accompanying delegation tackled with Salameh the measures undertaken by the Lebanese banking sector to prevent dealing with Iran and Syria.

Sources told the daily that the U.S. delegation's visit is within a periodic process to monitor the implementation of decision, saying that the tour will include several countries neighboring Syria.

Washington has imposed asset freezes against more than 100 members of the Syrian regime and barred U.S. firms from doing business with them, and slapped sanctions against the Syrian state oil firm Sytrol last month.

It has also imposed wide-ranging financial sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program in an attempt to starve Tehran of revenue, and pressed other countries to cut their imports of Iranian oil.