Syria has become Iran's largest military base, warns Israel at UN

New York: “There are 82 thousand soldiers ready to battle in Syria under control of Iran. With this huge embattlement, Iran is out to make Syria the largest military base in the world. If the international community continues to ignore Iran’s military activities in Syria, it will only increase the danger posed by Iran,” said Danny Danon, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations and issued this strong warning. Danon also expressed concern over the increasing military activities of Iran at the western borders of Syria, adjoining Israel.

Danny Danon, the Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, revealed this information gathered by Israeli intelligence agencies, during his speech at the Security Council meeting of the United Nations. Danon alleged that Iran has increased its stronghold on Syria using the cover of the Syrian conflict. Danon revealed the details of the military activities of Iran in Syria for this purpose.

Three thousand soldiers of Iran’s “Revolutionary Guards” have been installed in Syria under the leadership of General Qassem Soleimani. Besides this, nine thousand members of the Hezbollah as well as a troop of sixty thousand Assad supporters are also in conflict under Soleimani’s leadership. Moreover, added the Israeli Ambassador Danon, ten thousand soldiers sent to Syria from Iraq, Afghanistan and other Gulf countries are also under Iran’s control.

Danon alleged that as per the information received from Israeli intelligence agency, Iran has spent 35 billion dollars for training and arming these troops in Syria. Danon stated that the Israeli intelligence agency has mentioned a confirmed possibility that the economic sanctions that Iran received through the nuclear treaty signed with western nations in 2015, have been used by Iran for its military activities in Syria.

“Iran’s military expenditure is rising since 2015. Iran’s military expenditure had increased by 17% in 2015, while in 2017 it was up by 22% as compared to its expenditure in 2014. Iran has spent 23 billion dollars only on missiles, rifles and other war ammunition”, stated Danon.

“Why is Iran garnering military forces in Syria on such a large extent? Why is it converting Syria into its military base? The answer is simple. Iran wants to create unrest in Syria and this region. Through this unrest, Iran wants to imperil Israel”, warned Danon.

Even earlier, there were claims that Iran was creating a military base near the Israeli border of Golan Heights. Subsequently, there was information that Israel’s fighter planes had destroyed the military bases of Iran and satellite photographs of Iran’s military bases were also published in the media. It was claimed that the soldiers of the Iranian “Revolutionary Guards” were also killed in this attack. However, there was no open reaction from either Iran or Israel about these news information.