Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today said Iran wielded growing influence in Syria that was a threat to his country as he met Russian President Vladimir Putin, a figure in the Syrian crisis. <br/><br/>Netanyahu said Iran is putting in great efforts to fortify its presence in Syria. This is a threat for Israel, for the Middle East and believe for the whole world. Iran has furthered its control and influence on Iraq, on Yemen.<br/><br/>In practice, it in many ways has real control over Lebanon, he said as the two met in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi.<br/><br/>Putin supports the regime of Bashar al-Assad, which is also strongly backed by Iran. Since Syria's civil war erupted in 2011, Israel has maintained a policy of attacking arms convoys intended for its Lebanese arch-foe Hezbollah, which backs the Syrian regime and fought a devastating war against the Jewish state in 2006.<br/><br/>Netanyahu had also opposed a ceasefire agreed by Russia and the US in southwest Syria last month over Iranian presence there.<br/><br/>Israel and Iran regularly accuse each other of being a threat to stability in the region.