The Saudi channel al-Arabiya reported that the Iranian Airline Meraj, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), began operating regular direct flights to the Beirut International Airport from Tehran. The report stated that Israel is concerned these flights would be used to smuggle weaponry from Iran to Lebanese Hezbollah. Meanwhile, cargo flights from Iran to Syria persisted in the first half of December 2022.
In early December, an Iranian oil tanker, previously detained by Greece owing to American pressure, approached the shores of Banyas. Last month, Syrian media reported on Iran’s decision to increase its volume of export of oil to Syria to three million barrels per month.
Following the formation of a new government in Iraq, the Iranian ambassador to Baghdad conducted a series of meetings with senior government officials, including the deputy prime minister, and the ministers of planning, the interior, trade, and justice.
In early December, the American Navy stopped a fishing boat in the Gulf of Oman, which was en route from Iran to Yemen, and was carrying over one million bullets as well as components to manufacture rockets, intended to reach the Houthis in Yemen. This is the second seizure by the American Navy of vessels attempting to smuggle weaponry from Yemen to the Houthis.
In early December, the Iranian ambassador to Damascus participated in a rally of support for the Palestinian people and stressed the unyielding backing of the Palestinians by the Islamic Republic.
Iranian Involvement in Syria and Lebanon
The Saudi al-Arabiya TV channel reported (December 8) that the Iranian Airline Meraj, which is linked to the IRGC, began operating regular direct flights to the Beirut International Airport from Tehran. According to this report, the first flight to Beirut took place on November 14. The report alleges that these flights may be used to transfer weaponry and sensitive equipment to Hezbollah, and that Israel fears that the Beirut International Airport will serve as a channel to smuggle weaponry from Iran to Lebanon. The Meraj Airline operates weekly flights from Iran to the Damascus International Airport. Meanwhile, in the first half of December, regular cargo and passenger flights from Iran to Syria continued apace.
The Reuters news agency reported (December 2) that an Iranian oil tanker, which was previously detained by Greek authorities owing to pressure from Washington, was released and reached the shore of Banyas, where it began unloading its content. According to this report, the tanker LANA was carrying about 700,000 oil tanks. On November 10, the pro-regime Syrian paper al-Watan reported, based on sources in Tehran, that Iran decided to raise its export of oil to Syria to three million barrels per months. According to this report, Iran decided to increase its volume of export from two million to three million barrels of oil per month to bolster the economic ties between the two countries, and assist Syria in overcoming the energy crisis in the country. In recent weeks, basic functions of the Syrian government were halted due to unprecedented shortages of fuel. The paper remarked that the arrival of Iranian oil tankers to Syria has continued uninterrupted since the movement of tankers was resumed after an agreement was reached during the visit of President Assad to Tehran in May 2022. This agreement reportedly solved the problems concerning the credit line offered by Iran to Syria.
On December 9, the Iranian Ambassador to Syria, Mehdi Sobhani, met with the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen. The two discussed various issues, including the constitutional committee, the security situation in Syria, and regional and international developments (ISNA, December 9).
On December 11, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs, Alireza Bigdeli, met in Damascus with the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Faisal Mekdad, and discussed bilateral issues. The meeting was also attended by the Iranian Ambassador to Damascus, Mehdi Sobhani. The Syrian Arab News Agency reported that the two discussed expanding ties between the two nations in all spheres to counter “the pressures and extortion of the West against the countries of the region to further its corrupt interests” (Tasnim, SANA, December 11). Later in his visit to Syria, the deputy minister also met with the Syrian Minister of Interior, Mohammad Khaled al-Rahmoun, and with the Syrian Minister of Higher Education, Basam Ibrahim, and discussed granting of residency permits to Iranian citizens interested in working and investing in Syria, as well as expanding academic cooperation between the two countries. In addition, the deputy minister met with the Speaker of the Syrian Parliament, Hamouda al-Sabbagh (IRNA, December 12).
Iranian Involvement in Iraq and Yemen
On December 10, the Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad, Mohmmad Kazem Al-e Sadegh, met with the Syrian Ambassador to Baghdad, Sattam Jadaan al-Dandah. The two discussed political cooperation between the two countries, political and security developments in northern Syria, and Iraqi-Syrian relations (ISNA, December 10).
On December 4, the Iranian Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, Ezatollah Zarghami, met with the Iraqi Prime Minister, Muhammad Shaya al-Sudani, and discussed cooperation between the two countries in the spheres of culture, archeology and religious tourism. The Iranian minister arrived in Iraq to participate in an international conference on ancient civilizations, which was held in Baghdad, and was attended by representatives of Iran, Iraq, Greece, China, Egypt, Italy, Peru, Bolivia, Armenia and Mexico (IRNA, December 5).
On December 12, the Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad, Mohammad Kazem Al-e Sadegh, met with the Iraqi Minister of Interior, Abdul Amir al-Shamari, and discussed issues concerning the two countries’ shared border, including the issue of drug and weapon smuggling. The Iranian Ambassador congratulated the Iraqi minister of interior for assuming his position, following the formation of the new government in Baghdad, and stressed the need to implement the agreements concerning security signed by both countries. Al-Shamari stated in the meeting that Iraq bolstered the infrastructure at the border crossings with Iran, and stressed the need for continuous contact between the border control officers in both countries (ILNA, December 12). On December 12, the Iranian ambassador to Baghdad also met with the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, Muhammad Ali Tamim, and discussed ways to expand cooperation between the two countries and the spheres of the economy, energy, security, trade, capital, science and culture. Additionally, the ambassador met with the Iraqi Minister of Trade, Atheer Daoud al-Ghurairy, and with the Minister of Justice, Khalid al-Shwani (ISNA, December 12).
On December 1, the U.S. Navy stopped a fishing boat in the Gulf of Oman, which was en route from Iran to Yemen by sea, and was attempting to smuggle over one million bullets and components for manufacturing rockets, intended for the Houthis in Yemen (The website of the U.S. Department of Defense, December 3). This is the second seizure by the U.S. Navy over the past month, after in mid-November, another vessel was captured as it attempted to smuggle weaponry from Iran to the Houthis in Yemen.
Iranian Involvement in the Palestinian Arena
In early December, the Iranian Ambassador to Damascus, Mehdi Sobhani, participated in a conference held on the International Day of Support for the Palestinian People. In his speech at the conference, the ambassador stressed the unyielding championing of the Palestinian Cause by the Islamic Republic (ISNA, December 4).
