Tuesday’s missions were unprecedented.
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“This marks the first time that Russian Federation has based out of Iran and marks an escalation in terms of the fight in Syria”.
But, separate reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 23 civilians were killed in Russian and Syrian strikes on rebel-held areas in Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city.
The negotiations have dragged on for weeks. The bombing runs from a base near the Iranian city of Hamedan, 175 miles southwest of Tehran, may have been a reminder to the Obama administration that Moscow could be cozying up to Iran if Washington doesn’t come around. Russian Federation started conducting airstrikes from a base in western Syria last September to support the Assad regime.
He said the operations also cement Russia’s alliance with Iran in the region.
Iran and Russian Federation are the two staunchest backers of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, with Tehran commanding thousands of troops fighting for him on the ground while Russian Federation provides airpower.
But the West has been pinning its hopes on Moscow.
While Russia has claimed that it is striking terrorist targets, US officials say it is mostly targeting the opposition, including those backed by the West. “It’s more complex than that”, Toner told a news briefing.
Iran had already opened its airspace to Russian fighters as well as missiles fired from its Caspian Sea flotilla in October 2015, when four Russian warships launched a total of 26 Kalibr cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea, training on target in Syria.
Sukhoi-30SM and Sukhoi-35S based at Hmeymim, in Syria, provided protection. Moscow has both an air and a naval base in Syria, its only foothold in the Middle East.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday discussed securing a ceasefire, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The United States said it was still assessing the extent of Russian-Iranian cooperation but described the new development as “unfortunate”.
“We have good cooperation with Russian Federation and we say it loud and clear”, he added.
Iran’s constitution, ratified after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, states no foreign power can have a permanent military base on its soil.
Top Iranian officials said on Wednesday that the arrangement is legal because it only extends to permission to refuel.
The number of military aircraft deployed at Hamadan Airbase has not been disclosed.
Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protests – which erupted as part of the “Arab Spring” uprisings – with unexpected ferocity. Millions have fled as refugees, contributing to a global migration crisis. The government said the rebels’ attempt failed as the route is exposed to the fire of the Syrian army.
“All Russian planes coped with their tasks and returned to base”, the Defense Ministry said.
As many as 74 airstrikes were conducted over the past 24 hours against military bases the rebels have recently captured south of Aleppo, said SANA, adding that several rebel weaponry and vehicles have also been destroyed during the airstrikes. “And that’s always been a United States playground”, he said.
“It’s against our rules to provide advice to the leadership of the U.S. State Department”.
UN Security Council Resolution 2231 prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran. The first wave reportedly hit targets in Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib.
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US officials said Tuesday that they did not know if Russian Federation planned to fly more missions from the base. There is little Baghdad can do to stop those flights, and the USA has regularly turned its cheek.
