Terror organization: Hezbollah;

Status: Hezbollah top financier. Among his responsibilities, balancing the financial accounting between Hezbollah and the IRGC-QF;

Role: Al-Bazzal is a co-founder of the Syria-based front company Talaqi Group and oversees other terrorist-financing enterprises, such as Hokoul S.A.L. Offshore and Nagham Al Hayat. As chairman of Talaqi Group’s board of directors, al-Bazzal oversees the company’s finances, procedures, administration, and contracts. Since late 2018, al-Bazzal has used the Talaqi Group and his other companies to finance, coordinate, and obscure various illicit IRGC-QF-linked oil shipments. Al-Bazzal also has overseen Talaqi Group’s partnership with Lebanon-based ALUMIX for aluminum shipments to Iran;

Location: Lebanon/Syria;

Known Also As: Mohamad Bazzal; Mu’in;

Citizenship: Lebanese;

Location: Lebanon;

DOB: August 26, 1984;

POB: Ba’albakk, Lebanon;

Country: Lebanon;

Activities:
Muhammad Qasim al-Bazzal is a U.S.-designated Lebanese financier for Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF).

The IRGC-QF specializes in foreign missions, providing training, funding, and weapons to extremist groups, including Iraqi insurgents, Hezbollah, and Hamas.

On November 20, 2018, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated al-Bazzal as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for his association with Hezbollah.

Al-Bazzal allegedly co-founded various front companies—such as the Syria-based Talaqi Group and Hokoul S.A.L. Offshore (Hokoul)—to conduct dealings for the IRGC-QF to fund Hezbollah’s activities.

Al-Bazzal also reportedly heads another enterprise called Nagham Al Hayat, where he conducts the legal and financial dealings of the company, and founded Tawafuk on June 26, 2017, where he serves as general manager.

As chairman of the board of directors at Talaqi Group, al-Bazzal is reportedly responsible for the company’s finances, contracts, and operations.

Additionally, it is reported that Lebanon-based Hokoul supplies the Syrian state-run oil company SYTROL with Iranian crude under IRGC-QF orders. Al-Bazzal and other Hezbollah officials have control over the contractual and financial obligations of Hokoul.

Since late 2018, al-Bazzal has used the Talaqi Group and his other companies to finance, and coordinate IRGC-QF-linked oil shipments. Al-Bazzal also has overseen Talaqi Group’s partnership with Lebanon-based ALUMIX for aluminum shipments to Iran.

Given his role as a critical conduit for the financial dealings of Hezbollah, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated al-Bazzal as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on November 20, 2018.

Following the designation, in early 2019, al-Bazzal reportedly sought to remove his name from all Talaqi Group company documents in order to evade U.S. sanctions.

However, on June 25, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Talaqi Group as a Specially Designated National due to al-Bazzal’s history with the company.

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 al-Bazzal.