Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 20
By Khalid Kazimov – Trend:
A senior Iranian security official has confirmed that his country and Russia have established a common military base in Syria as part of a coalition supporting President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani has said that the Islamic Republic and Russia provide the Syrian army and its supporters with advisory aid at the common military base, ISNA news agency reported.
Saying that Tehran and Moscow enjoy military cooperation concerning the Syrian issue, he added that Iran has allowed Russia to use the Islamic
Republic’s air space within the framework of military cooperation.
Noting that Russia is Iran’s ally in fight against terrorism, he stated that
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Tehran over the last year was aimed at discussing fight against terrorism in collaboration with Iraq and Syria.
Earlier in August, long-range Russian Tupolev-22M3 bombers and Sukhoi-34 fighter bombers used the Islamic Republic’s Nojeh air base, near the city of Hamadan, in north-west Iran to launch air strikes against armed groups in Syria.
The development sparked controversy in Iran as the opponents suggested that the decision on allowing foreign forces to use the country’s military base was against the constitution.
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