Overview

Abd Al Nur Shalan is a U.S.-designated Lebanese businessman who has served as Hezbollah’s point person for the coordination, procurement, and shipment of weapons and materials for Hezbollah’s Syrian partners.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Leaders, Military Officials, And An Associate In Lebanon,” United States Department of the Treasury, July 21, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0121.aspx. A key facilitator for Hezbollah’s weapons smuggling, Shalan was designated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a Specially Designated National on July 21, 2015.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Leaders, Military Officials, And An Associate In Lebanon,” United States Department of the Treasury, July 21, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0121.aspx.

Since 2000, Shalan has allegedly been Hezbollah’s point person for weapons transfer to the group’s Syrian partners.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Leaders, Military Officials, And An Associate In Lebanon,” United States Department of the Treasury, July 21, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0121.aspx. In November 2009, Shalan coordinated with Hezbollah and Syrian officials to procure and deliver thousands of rifles to Syria.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Leaders, Military Officials, And An Associate In Lebanon,” United States Department of the Treasury, July 21, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0121.aspx. Shalan is reportedly a close associate of Muhammad Qasir, the head of Hezbollah Unit 108—a division that assists in the transfer of weapons, technology, and other support from Syria to Lebanon.Matthew Levitt, “Hezbollah’s Procurement Channels: Leveraging Criminal Networks and Partnering with Iran,” Washington Institute for Near East Policy, March 2019, https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/pubs/CTC-SENTINEL-032019.pdf.

Since the start of the Syrian conflict, Shalan has facilitated the supply of weapons, including small arms, to Hezbollah personnel in Syria as he ensured that items purchased by Hezbollah would make it through customs in Syria. In 2010, Shalan brokered a business deal that involved Hezbollah, Syrian officials, and companies in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, to purchase and sell weapons. That same year, Shalan acquired tons of anhydride for Hezbollah. Anhydride is a chemical agent which is used in the production of explosives and narcotics.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Leaders, Military Officials, And An Associate In Lebanon,” United States Department of the Treasury, July 21, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0121.aspx.

In 2014, Shalan allegedly used an undisclosed company as a cover to hide weapons-related material for Hezbollah.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Leaders, Military Officials, And An Associate In Lebanon,” United States Department of the Treasury, July 21, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0121.aspx.

On July 21, 2015, the U.S. Department of Treasury designated Abd Al Nur Shalan as a Specially Designated National for acting on behalf of Hezbollah.“Treasury Sanctions Hizballah Leaders, Military Officials, And An Associate In Lebanon,” United States Department of the Treasury, July 21, 2015, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0121.aspx. Despite the designation, Shalan co-founded a new business, Orient Star LLC, in Damascus in September 2016.Albin Szakola, “Syrian Accountant’s Alleged Hezbollah Fronts,” Levant Networks, January 23, 2020, http://www.levantnetworks.com/2020/01/23/syrian-accountants-alleged-hezbollah-fronts/. Given Shalan’s association with Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia blacklisted Shalan, along with 11 others, on November 27, 2015, as they served as “entities acting as investment arms for activities of the party’s malicious activities beyond the borders of Lebanon.”Mohamed Al-Sulami, “Hezbollah activists’ assets in KSA frozen,” Arab News, November 27, 2020, https://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/841756.