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U.S. Sanctions on Iran Pressure Tehran's Regional Allies
(AP-Washington Post) Bassem Mroue and Qassim Abdul-Zahra - Giant posters on the streets of Beirut's southern Shiite suburbs display an armed Hizbullah fighter in uniform, along with phone numbers where supporters can make donations. "He who equips a warrior is part of the battle," the posters declare. Hizbullah's calls for donations have intensified in past months as the group and its main backer, Iran, come under increasing financial pressure from U.S. sanctions. Iran has reportedly cut back on funding for Hizbullah and Shiite militias it supports in Iraq. The U.S. State Department said in July that Iran has spent over $16 billion since 2012 supporting Assad in Syria and its proxies in Iraq and in Yemen, and it also gives $700 million a year to Hizbullah. Even if other funding streams are under strain, Hizbullah can still count on public contributions, which stream in through tens of thousands of metal donation boxes in shops, streets, mosques and schools in Shiite areas of Lebanon.