Iran in Syria

All the evidence points to Iran supplying Syria with chlorine bombs

Ever since the Daily Telegraph last week published our exclusive reportthat the Assad regime was using chlorine bombs – a modified version of chemical weapons – on rebel-held areas, there has been much speculation as to how Damascus acquired the equipment and know-how to carry out these attacks.

As chlorine has many harmless applications, such as purifying the water supply and swimming pools, it is perfectly possible that the Assad clan simply devised the plan themselves as a means of getting round their pledge last Autumn – taken to prevent Western air strikes – not to use chemical weapons on their own people.

Chlorine is by no means in the same league as Sarin – the chemical compound used on the suburbs of Damascus last August, which came close to provoking war with the West. But when used as an offensive weapon, it still has the capacity to inflict extreme symptoms on its victims, sometimes resulting in death.

It is for this reason that Western leaders have reacted with deep concern to the reports, with William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, leading the demands for a full investigation into the claims.

But if the primary purpose of their investigation is to assess the use of chlorine bombs by the Assad regime, they might also like to consider how the Assad regime acquired these weapons in the first place.

For, as I report today, there are growing suspicions that the Chinese-made chlorine gas canisters used against the Syrian rebels have been supplied by Iran, which recently placed an order to purchase 10,000 chlorine canisters.

Iran has been a staunch supporter of the Assad regime since the start of the conflict three years ago, and in recent months has intensified the number of military shipments to Damascus, establishing a regular trade route from Tehran's Mehrabad airport.

Many of these flights have taken place when Iranian negotiators were trying to persuade Western officials in Geneva that they were serious about reaching a deal on Tehran's controversial nuclear programme.

But if Iran, instead of promoting a peaceful agenda, has instead been providing the Assad regime with a new type of chemical weapon, then it should face the same censure and punishment as Damascus.