RIYADH (AA) – Saudi Arabia on Tuesday welcomed a British decision to classify Lebanese group Hezbollah as a “terrorist organization “, describing the move as “constructive”.
Last week, Britain’s parliament voted to officially add Iran-backed Hezbollah to a list of terrorist organizations.
According to the decision, the membership in — or support for — the group will be considered a criminal offense in the U.K., carrying sentences of up to ten years in prison.
“The move is important and constructive in counter-terrorism efforts in the world,” the official SPA news agency quoted a Saudi Foreign Ministry official as saying.
“The UK step comes in line with a previous decision taken by Saudi Arabia against the terrorist group [Hezbollah] in both military and political branches,” the official said.
Early in 2016, Riyadh officially placed Hezbollah on its terror list.
Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran are regional arch-foes.
