Iran building permanent military base in Syria - claim

Iran is establishing a permanent military base inside Syria, a Western intelligence source has told the BBC.

The Iranian military is said to have established a compound at a site used by the Syrian army outside El-, 14 km (8 miles) south of Damascus.

The report comes amid growing tensions over Iranian influence in Syria and across the region.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu recently warned that Iran wanted to establish itself militarily in Syria.

"Israel will not let that happen," he said.

Satellite images commissioned by the BBC seem to show construction activity at the site referenced by the intelligence source between January and October this year.

The images shows a series of two dozen large low-rise buildings - likely for housing soldiers and vehicles.

In recent months, additional buildings have been added to the site. However, it is impossible to independently verify the purpose of the site and the presence of the Iranian military.

An official from another Western country told the BBC that ambitions for such a long-term presence in Syria would not be illogical for Iran.

Its adversaries have accused Iran of seeking to establish not just an arc of influence but a logistical land supply line from Iran through to the Shia Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.

US National Security Adviser: Iran’s ‘Destabilizing Behavior’ in Middle East Will Be ‘Major Focus’ of The New York Meeting

US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster speak at the White House on Friday

The Algemeiner, Sept. 15, 2017 - Iran will be a top agenda item when US President Donald Trump meets on Monday in New York City with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the 72nd UN General Assembly session, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said at a White House press briefing on Friday.
“We expect that Iran’s destabilizing behavior, including its violation of the sovereignty of nations across the Middle East, to be a major focus,” McMaster told reporters.
McMaster was joined at the podium by US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, and the two detailed Trump’s plans for the coming week. The president will address the UN on Tuesday.
“It is a new day at the UN,” Haley said. “The UN has shifted over the past several months — it’s not just about talking, it’s about action.”
In a response to a question about international diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in Syria, Haley emphasized that, after a defeat of ISIS, “Iran is not going to be in charge” of the country.
“Iran is not going to have any sort of leadership in that situation to where they can do more harm,” she added.