Russian Federation carries out strikes in Syria from Iran base

Iran and Russian Federation are the two firmest backers of the Assad regime and have opposed worldwide calls for the Syrian leader to step down in a bid to resolve the 5-year civil war, which has killed more than 290,000 people.

A video released by the Russian Defense Ministry Tuesday includes a cockpit view of a Tu-22M3 bomber flying over Syria before dropping its munitions. In less than a year, Russian Federation has gone from a very limited military presence in the Middle East to having the use of two airbases and emerging as a major military power in the fractured region.

Both Russia and Iran have become increasingly concerned about the most recent rebel offensive in Aleppo city, which made progress against regime forces in the south and east despite intense fighting in recent weeks.

Abadi told a news conference the same permission has been given to air forces of a separate USA -led coalition against Islamic State flying to Syria from Kuwait.

Russian warships in the Caspian Sea fired 26 cruise missiles at targets in Syria in October, shortly after Putin ordered the military campaign to commence.

Iran and Russian Federation “enjoy strategic cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Syria, and share their facilities and capacities to this end”, said Shamkhani, according to IRNA. Asked about how much advance notice was given, Garver said that “it was not a lot of time, but it was enough” to maintain safety in the airspace over Iraq and Syria. Shortly after, however, U.S. state department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said Washington had “nothing to announce at this time” regarding increased military cooperation with Russian Federation in Syria. Other Syrian accounts called it “an agreement by enemies – Russia’s announcement of deploying its fighter jets in Iran, only to bomb the Syrian people faster”.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Russian bombers were believed to have returned to Russia.

In a first, Iran has allowed Russian Federation to use one of its bases to stage and take off for attacks inside Syria – something unheard of in modern times in the Islamic Republic. Shiite militias backed by Iran, such as Hizbollah, have also played a major role in backing the Syrian regime. Russian Federation has also requested the use of Iranian airspace to fire cruise missiles at rebel targets in Syria. The main difference is that the planes will be able to carry heavier payloads, adding new muscle to the recently faltering Syrian effort in Aleppo.

A USA official said, however, that discussions with the Russians are still ongoing and no agreement is close.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Russia’s use of the Iranian bases would not necessarily prevent the United States from reaching a deal with Moscow to cooperate in the fight against Islamic State in Syria. “It is just too poisonous for the Obama administration”. Russia’s long range bombers can’t use the shorter runways at its airbase in Syria, and until now have been taking off at airbases inside Russian Federation. The distance from Hamedan is less than half that.

Stratfor also calls attention to the fact that “Turkey’s recent closure of the Bab al-Hawa border crossing, even if temporary, could be a Turkish concession already made to Russian Federation”.

The deployment appeared to stem from political and strategic objectives, rather than military needs.

The strikes have eliminated five major terrorist weapons depots and training compounds in the area as well as three command posts and a big number of terrorists, the Russian Defense Ministry was quoted as saying by the news channel.

The nearest air base to Hamedan is Shahid Nojeh, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the city. Tupolev Tu-22 flights from Iran mean less fuel and more bombs, ” Komoedov, the head of the Russian State Duma’s Defense Committee, said. However, nothing bars Iranian officials from allowing foreign countries to use an airfield.

The Tupolev-22 was originally a Cold War-era strategic bomber first in service in the 1960s as part of Russia’s nuclear forces.