Report: Iran, Syria re-arming Hezbollah

TEHRAN, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Iran and Syria are working to replenish weaponry and funding for Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, a London Arabic newspaper reported Monday.

The daily al-Sharq al-Awast quoted a senior officer of the Revolutionary Guard in Tehran saying huge quantities of weapons reached Damascus during the last three weeks and are waiting to be transferred to Lebanon.

A spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, Hamid Rada Asafi, confirmed Sunday "the government is learning the need for aid and ways to transfer it to Lebanon."

Ynetnews also quoted sources from the office of spiritual leader Ali Khamenei, who reportedly ordered the Iranian government to send $150 million in financial aid to Hezbollah.

A month-long war between Hezbollah guerrillas and Israel ended a week ago under a U.N. cease-fire, and diplomatic scrambling is under way to place 15,000 international peacekeepers in southern Lebanon and northern Israel.