WASHINGTON — Iran has resumed shipping military equipment to Syria over Iraqi airspace in a new effort to bolster the embattled government of President Bashar Assad of Syria, according to senior US officials.
The Obama administration pressed Iraq to shut down the air corridor that Iran had been using earlier this year, raising the issue with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of Iraq. But as Syrian rebels have gained ground and Assad’s government was rocked by a bombing that killed several high officials, Iran doubled down in supporting the Syrian leader. The flights started up again in July, and to the frustration of US officials have continued ever since.
Military specialists say the flights have enabled Iran to provide supplies to the Syrian government despite the efforts Syrian rebels have made to seize several border crossings where Iranian aid has been trucked in.
“The Iranians have no problems in the air and the Syrian regime still controls the airport,’’ said a retired Lebanese Army general, Hisham Jaber, who heads the Middle East Center for Studies....
http://bostonglobe.com/news/world/2012/09/04/iran-resumes-shipping-equipment-syria/U3YZkyAJ0whu2Y0L4oroJM/story.html
'via Blog this'
No comments:
Post a Comment