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Russia uses Iranian airbase for first time in Syria campaign Russia uses Iranian airbase for first time in Syria campaign
(35 minutes later)
Russian planes have taken off from a base in Iran to target Islamic State fighters in Syria, according to Russia’s defence ministry. Russian warplanes have taken off from a base in Iran to target Islamic State fighters and other militants in Syria, Russia’s defence ministry has said, marking a major development in the country’s civil war, now in its sixth year.
Tuesday’s announcement marks a major development in the efforts against the Sunni militant group. Until now Russia has never used the territory of any Middle Eastern country other than Syria for its operations inside Syria. Up to now Russia has not used the territory of another country in the Middle East for its operations inside Syria, where it has been carrying out an aerial campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad’s government for nearly a year. The announcement suggests cooperation on the highest levels between Moscow and Tehran, both key allies of the embattled president.
The ministry’s statement said Su-34 and Tu-22M3 bombers took off earlier in the day from an airbase near the Iranian city of Hamadan. The ministry said the bombers targeted Isis and al-Nusra Front militants in Aleppo, as well as in Deir el-Zor and Idlib, destroying five major ammunition depots, training camps and three command posts. It comes a day after Russia’s defence minister said Moscow and Washington are edging closer to an agreement on Syria that would help defuse the situation in the besieged northern city of Aleppo.
Russia and Iran have been expanding their ties in the past months after most of the international sanctions against Iran were lifted. Sergei Shoigu said the agreement would “allow us to find common ground and start fighting together for bringing peace to that territory”, adding that Russian representatives are “in a very active stage of talks with our American colleagues”.
A US official said, however, that discussions with the Russians are still ongoing and no agreement is close.
Russia and the United States have been discussing greater coordination for striking extremists in Syria, but they have been unable to reach agreement on which militant groups could be targeted.
Russia has criticised what it describes as US reluctance to persuade the Syrian opposition groups it supports to withdraw from areas controlled by al-Nusra Front in Syria.
The Russian statement on Tuesday said Su-34 and Tu-22M3 bombers took off from Iran’s Hamadan airbase to target Islamic State and al-Nusra Front militants in Aleppo, as well as in Deir el-Zour and Idlib, destroying five major ammunition depots, training camps and three command posts.
Al-Nusra Front recently announced it was changing its name to Fatah al-Sham and severing ties with al-Qaida in an apparent attempt to evade Russian and US-led airstrikes. Russia and the US have dismissed the name change as window-dressing.
The Russian defence ministry released a video showing a Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bomber dropping bombs in strikes described as “terrorist objects in Syria”.
Russia and Iran have been expanding their ties in the past months after most of the sanctions against Iran were lifted following the nuclear deal with world powers that put restricted Iran’s nuclear program from weapons-grade capability.