Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon presented new evidence of Iran’s attempts to sow chaos in the Middle East.
Speaking at a special news conference alongside U.S. Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt, Danon revealed that the Iranian regime is using the port of Beirut for military purposes.
“They use commercial companies, mainly from Europe, to support Hezbollah to develop its missile program,” Danon said. “Unfortunately, the port of Beirut has become Hezbollah’s port.”
On Monday, the United Nations Security Council held a discussion on the “Situation in the Middle East,” with Israel participating.
During the session Danon revealed intelligence information about Iran’s involvement in Hezbollah’s buildup in Lebanon with help from Syria — a direct violation of UN Resolution 1701.
“In the years 2018-2019, Israel found that dual-use items are smuggled into Lebanon to advance Hezbollah’s rocket and missile capabilities,” Danon told the Council.
“Iran and the Quds Force have begun to advance the exploitation of the civilian maritime channels, and specifically the Port of Beirut,” Danon said. “The Port of Beirut has become the Port of Hezbollah.”
Led by the Quds Force, these dual-use items are smuggled into Lebanon to advance Hezbollah’s rocket and missile capabilities and conversion program to be used.
Under the guise of Syrian entities, such as the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (“CERS”), Iran and Hezbollah were able to purchase dual-use equipment from civilian companies, while concealing the true nature of these purchases against Israel and its citizens.
Through this method, Iran is able to transfer the dual-use equipment from the Port of Beirut with the permission of the authorities and without revealing its true identity and intentions.
According to Danon, Iran and Hezbollah were aided by Syrian agents who purchased the equipment from foreign civilian companies and transferred the equipment to Lebanon. These agents misled the companies when they officially unloaded the equipment at the Port of Beirut, but eventually succeeded in reaching Hezbollah’s missile production facilities.
Danon asked the members of the Security Council: “Are you absolutely sure your companies are not the ones selling dual-use equipment to the hands of Hezbollah? Are you sure your citizens know the end-users of these dual-use items?”
The Israeli ambassador said Hezbollah regularly uses civilian centers in Lebanon to illegally transport arms, in flagrant violation of Security Council Resolution 1701.
Danon presented the Security Council with a map of various weapons transfer routes to Hezbollah for it to arm itself against Israel: from Damascus airport to Beirut’s Hariri airport; the official border crossings between Syria and Lebanon, such as the Masna’a crossings; and, as mentioned above, the Port of Beirut.