The US State Department denied on Friday reports saying that Washington was looking to sanction Lebanon’s Central bank (BDL) Governor Riad Salameh.

“We have seen reports about possible sanctions of Riad Salameh. They are untrue,” a State Department spokesperson told Al Arabiya English.

Bloomberg first reported that the US was considering sanctions against Salameh over the alleged embezzlement of public funds.

The report surprised several former and current US officials as Salameh has been seen as a key partner in enforcing US economic sanctions against clients using Lebanese banks.

Salameh is one of the world’s longest-serving central bank governors.

A former Merrill Lynch banker, Salameh was appointed to his current role in 1993.

But he has been faced with criticism in Lebanon after the local currency tumbled to record lows and depositors became unable to access their money in Lebanese banks.