The United States designated the Egyptian, Lebanese, and Jordanian branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as global terrorists on Tuesday, citing their support for the Palestinian terrorist organization, Hamas.
The move, which Washington formally set in motion last November, will bring sanctions against one of the Arab world's oldest and most influential Islamist movements.
The Treasury said it was labeling the three chapters as specially designated global terrorists. It has accused the trio of supporting or encouraging violent attacks against Israel and US partners.
Explicit, enthusiastic support for Hamas
"Chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood purport to be legitimate civic organizations while, behind the scenes, they explicitly and enthusiastically support terrorist groups like Hamas," the Treasury Department said in a statement.
Egypt's foreign ministry welcomed the move, describing it as a "crucial step that reflects the gravity of the group and its extremist ideology and what it represents as a direct threat to regional and international security and stability."
The Muslim Brotherhood's Lebanese branch, also called Jama'a Islamiya, called the move a political and administrative decision by the United States that has no "legal impact within Lebanon."
The Muslim Brotherhood won Egypt's first presidential election in 2012, but was overthrown by the military a year later after mass protests against its rule, and has endured a fierce crackdown by authorities since then.