A former chemical weapons chief in the regime’s army said he had on three occasions defied orders to use chemical weapons, and claimed that the regime has already transferred some of its chemical weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon and to Iran via Iraq. A Free Syrian Army spokesman claimed that the regime sent chemical weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon nearly three months ago. The Syrian National Council rebuffed Iran’s offer to mediate with the Assad regime. Syria met the first deadline in the US-Russian deal for the surrender of its chemical weapons. A top Russian official said the Kremlin might change its position if the Assad regime cheats on the chemical weapons deal, but warned that Western military intervention would only benefit al Qaeda.
