IRAN GAVE SYRIA $1B FOR ARMS PURCHASES

Iran Gave Syria Over $1 Billion for Arms Purchases - Barak Ravid (Ha'aretz)

Iran is making huge efforts to upgrade the Syrian army and provided Syria with more than $1 billion to buy surface-to-surface missiles, rockets, anti-tank missiles and anti-aircraft systems.

Syria is buying more missiles than tanks, on the assumption that attacking the Israeli home front would deter Israel and help to determine the war.

The London-based Asharq Alawsatnewspaper reported in July 2007, during Iranian President Ahmadinejad's visit to Damascus, that he promised Bashar Assad that Iran would finance Russian and North Korean weapons deals for $1 billion.

In exchange, Syria reportedly undertook not to proceed with the peace process with Israel.

Israel is also concerned over Iran's continuing weapon deliveries to Hizbullah via Syria. Recently, Iran sent Hizbullah a number of deliveries, including a large amount of explosives.