Kathmandu. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday declared Iran’s central bank a “terrorist organization.” The move was said to be aimed at cutting off financial support for Iran-backed militant groups and came a day after a ceasefire between the two foes went into effect.
“Minister Katz signed a special order designating Iran’s central bank, two additional Iranian banks and an Iranian armed forces-affiliated company… as terrorist organizations,” his office said in a statement. “The move, part of Israel’s broader campaign against Iran, aims to target the heart of the Iranian regime’s terrorist financing system, which funds, arms and directs terrorism across the Middle East.”
Longtime enemies Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday, ending 12 days of retaliation. The two sides have been locked in a shadow war for decades.
Israel has been fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, along with several Iran-backed groups in the region. Israel has said its bombing campaign, which began on June 13, aims to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Tehran has consistently denied that it has nuclear weapons ambitions. “We have completed an important stage, but the campaign against Iran is not over. We are entering a new phase, building on the achievements so far,” Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said in a statement on Tuesday.
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्