• Since 2006, with the encouragement of Nouri al-Maliki (on the picture left), Hezbollah has made major investments in Iraq in a number of sectors such as: general trade, transportation, and tourism.

• Hezbollah’s economic strategy relies on cooperation with Iraqi business partners who are not suspected of links to foreign entities.

• Hezbollah has been working on major projects through Iraqi businessmen, often transferring ownership and management to them.

• One associate is a Board Member of the Iraqi Economic Council and others have gained political capital from their economic status.

• Investigative report from June 2017, “The Hezbollah Empire in Iraq” was the starting point for the information collected in this report.

• The Coral Boutique Hotel in Baghdad regularly hosts meetings of the Popular Mobilization Units, the umbrella organization of (mainly) Shi’i militias also referred to as Hashd al-Shaabi.

• In addition, the Coral Boutique Hotel is known for hosting Assad supporters, Houthi delegations, and Bahraini opposition figures.

• Unnamed Iraqi government officials confirmed that the hotel management staff is Lebanese and Syrian.

• The Coral Boutique Hotel is part of the Al-Muften Group. There is announcement of its 2012 opening on the Al-Muften Group website.

• Babylon Hotel is a subsidiary of al-Sadeer Hotel Company, which is a large company that invests in and develops the tourism industry in Iraq.

• In 2013 Al-Muften Group bought Al-Sadeer Hotel Company from well-known Iraqi financier Essam Karim Kazar al-Asadi.

• Babylon Hotel is also a shareholder of Cristal Ishtar Hotel. The Cristal Ishtar Hotel has a partnership with the Australian based, Staywell Hospitality Group.

• According to the aforementioned investigative report, Karim al-Nouri, described as “a member of Hezbollah” is the General Manager at the Babylon Warwick Hotel.

• Established in 1976, the Al-Muften Group is active in key business sectors in Iraq.

• According to its website: “One of the activities characteristic of Al Muften group is the commercial agencies of major international companies, as Al Muften group is the agent of Honeywell International Companies”.

• Al-Muften Group has many companies and projects associated with reconstruction efforts.

• Its other companies and activity outside the hotel industry will be studied thoroughly for further ties to Hezbollah.

• Karim al-Nouri, is a prominent leader within the Iraqi PMU, or Hashd al-Shaabi.

• Al-Nouri is on record referring to Lebanese Hezbollah as an ally and is very close to the Badr Organization. Source: [1] [2]

• Hezbollah and Badr have worked closely together even prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Source: [3]

• A Karim al-Nour (not al-Nouri) is listed in business databases for his association with a number of Hezbollah linked hotels and companies in this report. For example he appears as the General Manager of Al-Muften General Trading Company in Dubai.

• It is unclear whether or not Karim al-Nour is in fact Karim al-Nouri, the PMU leader. However, the original investigative report listed Karim Al-Nouri as the Hezbollah member who manages the Babylon Hotel on behalf of the Lebanese terror group.

• Regardless of the potential connection to the PMU, it is clear that a Karim al-Nour, who is known to be a Hezbollah member is active in a number of hotels and other businesses in Iraq.

• Talal Ibrahim Rehoomi is a major Iraqi businessman who appears to have been coopted by Hezbollah. He holds a number of positions within the Al-Muften Group web.

• He is:

– a shareholder of al-Sadeer Hotel Company;

– Director and General Manager of Union Bank of Iraq (which is part of al-Muften Group);

– Reserve Director of Ishtar Hotels PJSC;

– Shareholder and director of National Company for Tourism Investment Company.

• Mohamed Abdul Hussain Jaafar is also a major Iraqi businessman who appears to have been coopted by Hezbollah.

• He holds a number of positions within the Hezbollah web. Among them:

– Vice Chairman of Union Bank of Iraq;

– Chairman of Ishtar Hotels;

– Shareholder and chairman of National Company for Tourism Investment Company;

– Director of Al-Badia for General Transport PSJC;

– Shareholder and Chairman of Iraqi Land Transport Company;

– Shareholder and director of Iraq Baghdad for General Transport and Real Estate Investment Company;

– Shareholder and Vice Chairman of Iraqi Company for General Transportation.

• Mohamed Muften Khafif al-Rubaiee and a number of relatives with the Muften name are shareholders and part of the corporate structure of the Union Bank of Iraq PJSC, which is part of the al-Muften Group.

• They are also shareholders and part of the corporate structure of al-Sadeer Hotel Company PJSC and Al-Muften Insurance Company.

• These individuals, together with Talal Ibrahim Rehoomi, Mohamed Abdul Hussain Jaafar, and Karim al-Nouri, among others appear repeatedly as shareholders and in management positions of a number of entities, thereby comprising the Hezbollah web in the hotel and related industry sector.