Netanyahu: Assad and Nasrallah are already celebrating Iran's released funds

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the funds released to Iran from the recent nuclear agreement between Tehran and global powers have already led to celebrations by Bashar Assad and Hassan Nasrallah. According to Israel Radio, Netanyahu made this statement during a speech on Monday, July 27, in the Israeli parliament. He stated that Bashar Assad, the President of Syria, and Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, are celebrating the 'billions of dollars that will soon be at their disposal to grease the wheels of terror from Iran.' Netanyahu's remarks refer to recent statements by Syrian and Hezbollah leaders. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said last Friday at a conference in Damascus, which was also attended by Iran's Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, that the nuclear agreement would 'strengthen Iran's support for Syria.' Moallem assessed that after the nuclear agreement, the implementation of Iran's commitments to Syria would become easier. He stated, 'The stronger Syria's allies become, the stronger Syria will be.' Bouthaina Shaaban, an advisor to Bashar Assad, also said last week in an interview with the Lebanese channel Al-Mayadeen that Syria is not worried that Iran will abandon it after the nuclear agreement with global powers because 'Iran will never do that.' According to Shaaban, the agreement with Iran will be a service 'to the countries of the region.' Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, also stated this week that after the nuclear agreement, the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its regional policies and will not abandon support for Hezbollah. Nasrallah also mentioned that Hezbollah 'takes pride' in receiving material and moral support from Iran. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, stated in an Eid al-Fitr speech that Iran will continue to support 'the oppressed people of Bahrain, Yemen, Palestine, and the devoted fighters of Hezbollah and the Palestinian resistance and the governments of Iraq and Syria.' Netanyahu, who has strongly opposed the comprehensive nuclear agreement between Iran and global powers since it was reached on July 13, reiterated in his speech on Monday in the Knesset that this agreement poses 'serious mobile security threats' to Israel. Netanyahu added in the Knesset: 'This agreement legitimizes Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons and its current aggressive behavior.' At the same time, it was announced that John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, will not visit Israel during his upcoming trip to the Middle East. Israeli media interpreted Kerry's decision not to visit Israel as a sign of worsening relations between Netanyahu's government and Barack Obama's administration. Kerry will visit Egypt and Qatar among other countries. Kerry recently stated that if the Washington Congress rejects the agreement with Iran, Israel will be seen as 'the culprit' and will become 'more isolated' in the world. Kerry also mentioned in a recent interview with NBC that if Israel attacks Iran's nuclear facilities, it would be making 'a very big mistake.'