Overview

Ali Qasir is a U.S.-designated Lebanese national who facilitates financial and commercial activities between Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and Hezbollah.“Treasury Designates Vast Iranian Petroleum Shipping Network That Supports IRGC-QF and Terror Proxies,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, September 4, 2019, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm767; “Act of Terror Information on...Lebanese Hizballah’s Financial Network,” Rewards for Justice, https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/lebanese_hizballah_financial_network.html. The U.S.-designated IRGC-QF specializes in foreign missions, providing training, funding, and weapons to extremist groups, including Iraqi insurgents, Hezbollah, and Hamas. On September 4, 2019, Qasir was designated by the U.S Department of the Treasury as a Specially Designated National for his association with the IRGC-QF.“Treasury Designates Vast Iranian Petroleum Shipping Network That Supports IRGC-QF and Terror Proxies,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, September 4, 2019, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm767.

Qasir is the managing director of the Syria-based Talaqi Group, and a representative of the Lebanon-based Hokoul S.A.L. Offshore company (Hokoul). Both companies were founded by Muhammad Qasim al-Bazzal, a U.S.-designated Lebanese businessman who conducted oil shipments and dealings for the IRGC-QF to help fund Hezbollah’s activities.“Treasury Designates Illicit Russia-Iran Oil Network Supporting the Assad Regime, Hizballah, and HAMAS,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 20, 2018, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm553; “Act of Terror Information on...Lebanese Hizballah’s Financial Network,” Rewards for Justice, https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/lebanese_hizballah_financial_network.html. Under the Talaqi Group, Qasir has allegedly negotiated and facilitated the sale of tens of millions of dollars’ worth of steel, and through Hokoul, Qasir has facilitated the delivery of Iranian crude oil to Syria. Under the guidance of the IRGC-QF, Qasir reportedly assigns maritime vessels to deliver shipments to Hezbollah. Specifically, Qasir facilitated an oil shipment by the Iranian tanker ADRIAN DARYA 1, for the IRGC-QF.“Act of Terror Information on...Lebanese Hizballah’s Financial Network,” Rewards for Justice, https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/lebanese_hizballah_financial_network.html. Although the tanker has attempted to offload cargo—allegedly oil—in Syria in July and September of 2019, it is uncertain if Qasir was involved in those specific shipments.“Iranian Tanker Adrian Darya 1 Offloads Oil Cargo in Syria,” Maritime Executive, October 9, 2019, https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/iranian-tanker-adrian-darya-1-offloads-oil-cargo-in-syria.

Additionally, Qasir is the business associate and nephew of Muhammad Jafar Qasir, a financial conduit for the IRGC-QF who has overseen various companies complicit in the selling of crude oil, condensate, and gas oil to evade U.S. sanctions placed on the IRGC-QF.“This Week in Iran Policy,” U.S. Department of State, October 30, 2020, https://www.state.gov/this-week-in-iran-policy-23/.

Given Qasir’s role in facilitating the financial channels between the IRGC-QF and Hezbollah, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Qasir as a Specially Designated National on September 4, 2019.“Counter Terrorism Designations; Iran-related Designations,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, September 4, 2019, https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions/20190904. On October 23, 2020, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program offered a reward of up to $10 million for information on Qasir.“This Week in Iran Policy,” U.S. Department of State, October 30, 2020, https://www.state.gov/this-week-in-iran-policy-23/.