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Source: http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-06-09/iran-spends-billions-to-prop-up-assad
Iran Spends Billions to Prop Up Assad
(Bloomberg) Eli Lake - On Monday, a spokeswoman for the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, told me that the envoy estimates Iran spends $6 billion annually on Assad's government. Nadim Shehadi, the director of the Fares Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies at Tufts University, said his research shows that Iran spent between $14 and $15 billion in military and economic aid to the Damascus regime in 2012 and 2013. Steven Heydemann, who was the vice president for applied research on conflict at the U.S. Institute of Peace until last month, told me he estimated the total support from Iran for Assad would be between $15 and $20 billion annually. If Iran ends up accepting a deal on its nuclear program, it will see an infusion of cash to pursue its regional agenda.