Sanctions Bite
The Jerusalem Post is reporting that Iran has cut aid to Hezbollah by 40%. Maybe that’s why there were no armed militiamen in front of Hezbollah's political HQ when I visited: budget cuts.
Iran has in recent years provided Hizbullah with close to $1 billion in direct military aid, but due to the impact of the recent round of international sanctions, the Islamic Republic has been forced to cut back on the funding. The money is used by Hizbullah to buy advanced weaponry, train and pay its operatives and establish military positions and sustain them throughout Lebanon.
The cuts in the budget has stirred tension between Hizbullah and its Iranian patrons, further fueled by disagreements between the top Hizbullah leadership and the Revolutionary Guard Corps officer who was appointed earlier this year to oversee Hizbullah operations on behalf of the Islamic Republic.
That officer is Hossein Mahadavi, and his official title is “commander of Iran’s overseas division,” which in this case is Hizbullah.
Mahadavi is believed to maintain an office in Beirut and is a senior member of the Guard’s Al-Quds Force, which is responsible for Iran’s overseas operations.
If true, Hezbollah's weakness may account for the recent burst of blood-curdling defiance from Hezbollah's leaders, like a cat arching its back to look bigger.