Aden (South24 Center)

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) welcomed the United States government's decision to designate several branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan as terrorist organizations.

In a statement issued by the Council’s Authority of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday (January 14), the STC praised what it described as the "decisive leadership" of U.S. President Donald Trump for the move.

The statement noted that the U.S. decision reflects a growing recognition of the Muslim Brotherhood's destabilizing role across the Middle East. It highlighted the threat posed by its transnational ideology, which operates through affiliated networks seeking to impose authoritarian rule under the guise of religion. 

The STC considered the step as important for addressing the movement's impact on regional stability.

The statement pointed out that in South Yemen, the Muslim Brotherhood has fueled conflict, obstructed humanitarian access, and undermined the development of accountable governance. 

Furthermore, the STC stated that the group's actions have hindered the efforts of local active U.S. counter-terrorism partners and contributed to an enabling environment for continued Houthi attacks on U.S. interests.

The statement called on the United States to extend its designation framework to include the Muslim Brotherhood’s Yemen branch. It argued that such a step would strengthen counter-terrorism efforts, support accountable governance, and protect vulnerable communities from extremist influence.

At the same time, the statement emphasized that responsibility lies with security authorities on the ground to confront these practices and dismantle the conditions that allow extremist groups to operate. 

The STC affirmed its openness to constructive engagement with the United States and regional allies in support of broader efforts to counter extremism and promote stability, security, and dignity.

The STC's statement follows the announcement by President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday (January 13) regarding the implementation of its plan to designate three branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as "terrorist organizations" and impose sanctions on them and their members. 

The U.S. Departments of the Treasury and State said that the targeted branches in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt pose a threat to U.S. security and interests in the region.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on the "X" platform that the United States has designated the Muslim Brotherhood branches in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan as terrorist groups. He emphasized that under President Trump’s leadership, Washington will work to eliminate the capabilities and operations of these branches that threaten American citizens and U.S. national security.

The U.S. State Department designated the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization" (FTO), the highest level of designation, which criminalizes the provision of any material support to the group under U.S. law. In contrast, the branches in Jordan and Egypt received designations from the Treasury Department as "Specially Designated Global Terrorists" (SDGT) due to their support for Hamas.

Two months ago, according to press sources, the states of Texas and Florida issued executive orders designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as terrorist organizations. CAIR responded by filing lawsuits to challenge the decisions.