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Syria Expanded Chemical Weapons Supply with Iran's Help, Documents Show
(Washington Post) James Ball - Syria has expanded its chemical weapons arsenal in recent years with help from Iran and by using front organizations to buy sophisticated equipment it claimed was for civilian programs, according to documents and interviews. The buildup has taken place despite attempts by the U.S. and other Western countries to block the sale of precursor chemicals and so-called dual-use technology to Damascus. As recently as 2010, documents show that the European Union provided $14.6 million in technical assistance and equipment, some intended for chemical plants, in a deal with the Syrian Ministry of Industry. Diplomats and arms experts have identified the ministry as a front for the country's chemical weapons program.