On Wednesday morning, Russian Federation sent Sukhoi Su-34 jets from the Hamedan base in western Iran to carry out a group aerial strike against IS targets in Deir Ezzor province, the defence ministry said, calling the operation a success.
Advertisement
It is thought to be the first time Russian Federation has struck targets inside Syria from Iran since it launched a bombing campaign to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in September a year ago.
He said they were using the base near the eastern city of Hamedan with the authorization of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
After pulling back from a contemplated missile attack against Mr. Assad in 2012, Mr. Obama accepted the help of Russian Federation to negotiate the removal of Mr. Assad’s chemical weapons stockpile. Russian Federation and the U.S. support opposing sides in Syria but agree on the need to eliminate UN-designated “terrorist” groups, such as Daesh.
Moscow has once again caught Washington by surprise by increasing the level of strategic military cooperation with Iran in Syria.
When Russia intervened militarily in Syria last August, it claimed privately that its action would ultimately sideline Iran and its proxy Hezbollah force in Syria, making Assad more conciliatory in a peace process, according to USA and European diplomats. Since then, Russian air support has been frequently given to Iranian forces or Iran’s proxies on the ground in Syria. The United States said that it was still assessing the extent of Russian-Iranian cooperation but described the new development as ‘unfortunate’.
Toner told reporters Wednesday that the actual language of the resolution is very nuanced.
Gen. Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for Russia’s Defense Ministry, said in a statement Wednesday, “but it’s hard to resist a recommendation for some State Department representatives to check their logic and knowledge of fundamental documents of worldwide law”. As opposed to the United States, which has walked away from its self-declared red lines on intervention in Syria, Russia has willingly inserted itself in the Syrian civil war.
Late past year there were reports about Russian planes flying out of Iran but according to US officials, Tuesday’s decision came as a surprise.
Iran has long banned foreign militaries from establishing bases on its soil.
Following the announcement, the US State Department said it considers the Russian move unhelpful.
Russian warplanes flew from Iran to carry out airstrikes in Syria for a second day Wednesday. It said the strikes targeted Islamic State as well as militants previously known as the Nusra Front in the Aleppo, Idlib and Deir al Zour provinces.
In this frame grab from video provided by Russian Defence Ministry press service, Russian long range bomber Tu-22M3 flies during an air strike over Aleppo region of Syria on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016.
The attack hit two ISIL command points and large training camps, “eliminating more than 150 militants”, the ministry said in comments carried by TASS. He has visited Aleppo five times since the war began.
The Russians “are taking advantage of the political vacuum that was left by America and Western countries that withdrew”, said Paris-based senior Syrian opposition figure George Sabra. Hundreds of thousands of civilians are believed to be trapped in rebel areas, facing potential siege if the government closes the corridor linking it with the outside.
Advertisement
“The Russian Air Force uses these fighter jets with Iran’s approval in order to take part in the counter-terrorism operation” in Syria, he added.
