'Moderate & Peaceful' Iran Funneling $1 Billion to $2 Billion a Month into Syria - Report

Iran Funneling $1 Billion to $2 Billion a Month into Syria - Report. HT: UskowiOnIran.

The Christian Science Monitor quoted a Beirut-based diplomat with contacts in Syria as estimating that Iran funnels between $1 billion to $2 billion a month into Syria.

“A Beirut-based diplomat with extensive contacts in Syria estimates that Iran funnels between $1 billion to $2 billion a month into Syria to keep Mr, Assad in Power. Of that, some $500 million is spent on military assistance, mostly for National Defense Force, a 70-000-strong loyalist militia commanded by IRGC, according to this diplomat and others who monitor Syria closely,” The Christian Science Monitor reported today.

“They [the Iranians] have officially given around $5 billion in (line of) credit, and when you consider the financial aid, military aid, discounted oil, and man hours of IRGC officials the number must be north of $10 billion (annually). Absent Iranian largess, Assad would not be financially solvent today,” said Karim Sadjadpour, a Washington-based senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. (The Christian Science Monitor, 5 January)

A slump in global oil prices on top of existing sanctions, however, is squeezing Iran. Aside from funneling billions to the Syrian regime, Iran is also waging an expensive military campaign in Iraq and is supporting the operations of the Lebanese Hezbollah.  

Regarding Hezbollah, the Christian Science Monitor reports that according to a wide range of political and diplomatic sources in Beirut, as Iran tightens its belt because of falling oil prices, the Hezbollah in particular is coming under pressure financially, imposing salary cuts on personnel, defer payments to suppliers and reduce monthly stipends to its political allies in Lebanon.

But analysts do not expect Iran to end its financial support of Syria or Hezbollah.

“I think people will go hungry in Tehran before Iran will cease its investments in this so-called ‘axis of resistance,’ says Sadjadpour.  Hmmmm....makes you wonder why they can't create a single job in Five Years?