Iran benefits from regional turmoil as price of oil soars

At the same time, Hezbollah is concerned with the ongoing protests in Syria and the possibility that President Bashar Assad will lose power.

By YAAKOV KATZ
Hezbollah rocket launcher 311 (R) (photo credit: Reuters)
Hezbollah rocket launcher 311 (R)
(photo credit: Reuters)
Iran is benefiting from the upheaval in the Middle East as the rising price of oil undercuts the effect sanctions were having on the country, according to recent assessments within the Israeli defense establishment.
At the same time, Hezbollah is concerned with the ongoing protests in Syria and the possibility that President Bashar Assad will lose power.
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According to foreign reports, Syria is storing an unspecified number of long-range Scud missiles inside a base near the Syrian-Lebanese border. Other reports have mentioned that Syria is also storing advanced surface-to-air missiles on Hezbollah’s behalf.
Iran is believed to still be suffering from technical setbacks due to the Stuxnet computer virus that attached its Natanz uranium fuel enrichment facility over the summer but has gotten most of its program back on track.
According to assessments within the defense establishment, Iran’s current strategy is to prepare all of its nuclear assets for the day that it will decide to go to the breakout stage and begin developing a nuclear weapon.