Reality-EU: Iran Massively Rearming Hezbollah in Violation of UN Security Council Resolution

25.03.10

Contact:Diana Gregor+44 (0)20 3239 7342 diana.gregor@realite-eu.org

Iran Massively Rearming Hezbollah in Violation of UN Security Council Resolution

A "steady flow of arms shipments including thousand of Iranian-made rockets" has permitted Hezbollah to rearm after the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006. [1] UN Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the war between Israel and Hezbollah, banned all unauthorized weapons between the Litani River and the Blue Line, the UN-monitored border between Israel and Lebanon. [2] This arms embargo was never enforced along the border between Lebanon and Syria. [3] According to Western officials and Hezbollah itself, the Shiite Muslim organization has rearmed and is stronger than before the conflict with Israel. [4]

Hezbollah is closely allied with, and often directed by, Iran, but has the capability and willingness to act independently. [5]

Hezbollah receives substantial amounts of financial, training, weapons, explosives, political, diplomatic, and organizational aid from Iran and Syria. It is thought that Iran provides financial assistance and military assistance worth between $25-50 million. According to reports released in February 2010, Hezbollah received $400 million dollars from Iran following a visit by Ahmadinejad's advisor Mehrdad Bazrpash to Lebanon. [6]

In July 2009, UN peace keeping chief Alain Le Roy said there were signs that an illegal weapons stockpile which had exploded in Lebanon belonged to Hezbollah: "A number of indications suggest that the depot belonged to Hezbollah, and, in contrast to previous discoveries by UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces of weapons and ammunition, that it was not abandoned but, rather, actively remained." He stressed that the presence of such weapons represented a "serious violation of resolution 1701." [7]

In November 2009, Israel seiz