The nuclear deal with Iran will give Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a “fresh economic shot in the arm,” which will strengthen the dictator and add to Europe’s growing refugee crisis, Benjamin Weinthal, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, wrote Saturday in an op-ed for the New York Daily News.

Weinthal praised Germany for its generosity in accepting refugees, but faulted it and other European countries for allowing Assad to escape the consequences of using chemical weapons two years ago. He also criticized them for failing to acknowledge Iran’s role in supporting Assad.

European politicians have remained silent on Iran’s role in forcing Syrians to flee for their lives. Iran’s rulers have provided Assad with an economic lifeline to wage war. Hezbollah — Iran’s wholly owned terrorist subsidiary — has thousands of combatants fighting to retain Assad’s regime.

Making matters worse, Europe and the U.S. are slated to release $150 billion in sanctions relief money to Iran as part of the deal to curb Tehran’s illicit nuclear weapons program. Assad will soon get a fresh economic shot in the arm.

Weinthal urged Germany to take the lead and get NATO to attack to establish “a no-fly zone and military enforced humanitarian corridors in Syria.”

NATO military efforts against the Assad regime could be complicated by Russian troops reportedly now operating in Syria.

Assad hailed the nuclear deal as a “great victory.” The nuclear deal was was agreed to about a week after Iran extended him a $1 billion line of credit.

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