(JNi.media) A report in Walla suggests Tehran is no longer waiting for a green light from the international community, and is already operating on the assumption that the sanctions against it have been removed. And so, over the past two months since the nuclear deal was signed, Iran has increased significantly its financial aid to two of its favorite terrorist organizations in the region: Hamas and Hezbollah. In the months prior to the signing of the agreement, the economic sanctions have been affecting this assistance. But Tehran is now expecting to gain access to hundreds of billions of unfrozen dollars, which also led to its decision to increase assistance to these organizations.
This assistance allows Hezbollah to get the best of modern weapons, including those with very advanced technology, which many world armies may envy. The Kuwaiti newspaper al-Rai last Wednesday ran a story claiming that Hezbollah receives the same advanced weapons that Syria has been getting from the Russians. The information came from a defense official participating in the fighting in the town of Zebdani, on the Syria-Lebanon border, where Hezbollah has been battling Al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS.
Iran’s growing confidence regarding its political situation is also being influenced by the Russian decision to step up involvement in Syria, which may have led to Tehran’s decision to throw hundreds of Revolutionary Guards into battles in Syria. Moscow, Iran and Hezbollah have decided to do all they can to prevent the collapse of the regime of Bashar al-Assad (See also: “Lebanese Radio: Chinese Military May Get Involved in Syria Alongside Russia, Iran”).
Incidentally, only a week ago, Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani described Iran as a “harbinger of regional stability” and the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) as a protective power in the region.
Hezbollah is not the only beneficiary of Iran’s improved confidence—the Palestinians have also gained more financial support since the nuclear agreement was signed. According to Walla, Iran has been sending suitcases full of money over the past two months, to the military wing of Hamas in Gaza. Not everyone inside Hamas likes this new, direct assistance—the head of Hamas’s politiebureau, Khaled Meshal, has found himself out of the Iranian funds loop during the summer months. This was in retaliation for Mashaal’s visit to Saudi Arabia and his meeting with King Salman. So now Iran is bypassing Mashal and transfers the moneybags through couriers directly to the leaders of Iz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.