Defense consultancy IHS Jane’s said Wednesday that Moscow is apparently expanding its Mozdok airbase in southern Russian Federation, from where long-range bombers had been flying their Syria raids, with a “second runway” being constructed since May or June.
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“These military aircraft are used by air forces after Iran’s authorization for taking part in the anti-terrorist operation in Syria after a legitimate request from its government”, he said.
Toner also described Russia’s move as “unfortunate but not surprising or unexpected”, saying the air strikes that Russian Federation says target the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant in Syria actually “predominately target moderate Syrian opposition forces”.
Larijani later rejected reports claiming Iran had reserved its military base for Russian Federation recalling the existence of a law that bans all foreign presence on military bases.”Iran cooperates with Russian Federation, as its ally, on regional issues like Syria”.
He said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by phone on Tuesday to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, who raised the issue. Thus, such a behavior of Russian warplanes could qualify as a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231.
Both Russia and the Iran-backed regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may have violated global law by dropping incendiary bombs over civilian areas in Syria in recent weeks, according to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Konashenkov also pointed out that the US was using a Turkish air base to support its own airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.
Larijani said. “Iran has not allocated a military base to Russia or any foreign countries.”Citing the Russian Defense Ministry, certain media outlets said Tuesday that TU-22M3 and SU-34 jets took flight from the Hamedan Airbase to strike targets in Syria.Before Hamedan Airbase, Russian forces had been using Khmeimim Airbase in Syria or in Russian territories”.
On Tuesday, Russian military aircraft used Hamadan for the first time to attack terrorists in Syria. They insist that Iran is not handing over its Shahid Nojeh air base to Russian Federation. “It is not our policy to give advice to the US State Department”.
Both oppose calls for Assad to step down as a way of resolving the conflict that has killed more than 290,000 people since it erupted in March 2011.
Mr. Toner added that while the U.S.is concerned about the use of Iran to stage attacks, Russian Federation has been carrying out similar strikes for months from inside Syria and from Russian Federation.
Senior Iranian officials said that the arrangement is legal because it only extends to permission to refuel.
Russian Federation yesterday used an Iranian air base to launch airstrikes in Syria for a second day running, rejecting USA suggestions its cooperation with Tehran might violate a United Nations resolution.
Moscow backs Syria’s government.
Fighting in Aleppo, once Syria’s commercial capital, has intensified in recent weeks. But opposition activists and militant websites said Monday that the insurgents retreated following a massive government counterattack.
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“It’s not helpful to the situation that we now have, where we’ve got this stalemate around Aleppo, where we have. insufficient access to humanitarian assistance, where we have civilian populations at incredible risk, and we have – we’re no closer to any kind of credible cessation of hostilities like we had a few months ago, certainly not nationwide”, Toner said.
