Iran: Russia Has Stopped Using Iran Base for Syria Strikes

[alarabi]

Russia has stopped using an Iranian air base for launching airstrikes on Syria for the time being, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday, just hours after the Iranian defense minister criticized Moscow for having "kind of show-off and ungentlemanly" attitude by publicizing their actions.

There was no immediate response from Moscow, which had used the Shahid Nojeh Air Base to refuel its bombers striking Syria at least three times last week.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told reporters in Tehran that the Russian airstrikes on militants in Syria were "temporary, based on a Russian request."

"It is finished, for now," Ghasemi said, without elaborating.

Last week, Russia announced it used the airfield, located some 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of the Iranian city of Hamedan. Iranian officials only confirmed Russia's presence a day later.

Earlier Monday, state TV quoted Iran's defense minister as saying that Russia "will use the base for a very short and fixed span." The comments by Gen. Hossein Dehghan came after he chastised parliament this weekend for asking questions about Russia using the base.

Responding to a question about why Iran didn't initially announce Russia's presence at the airfield, Dehghan appeared prickly on the state TV broadcast.

"Russians are interested to show they are a superpower to guarantee their share in political future of Syria and, of course, there has been a kind of show-off and ungentlemanly (attitude) in this field," he said.

His remarks also suggest Russia and Iran initially agreed to keep Moscow's use of the air base quiet. Its announcement likely worried Iran's Sunni-ruled Mideast neighbors, which host American military personnel.

For Iran, allowing Russia to launch strikes from inside the country is likely to prove unpopular. Many still remember how Russia, alongside Britain, invaded and occupied Iran during World War II to secure oil fields and Allied supply lines. But while Britain withdrew, Russia refused to leave, sparking the first international rebuke by the nascent United Nations Security Council in 1946.

Analysts have suggested Russia potentially leveraged Iran into allowing it to use the airfield over either economic or military interests, such as Tehran wanting to purchase Sukhoi-30 fighter jets or its deployment of Russian S-300 air defense missile systems. Russia initially held off on supplying the missile system to Tehran amid negotiations over Iran's contested nuclear program.

Over the weekend, photographs of President Hassan Rouhani were published in Iranian state media near a Bavar-373 missile defense system. That system is designed to be the local equivalent of the S-300 — perhaps an Iranian signal back to Moscow that it's capable of defending itself without the Russian missile system.

In his comments Monday, Dehghan said the Bavar-373 can hit targets at the height of 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) — the same height the S-300 can reach.

"When we make Bavar-373 operational, we will not need to purchase another high-altitude and long-range air defense system," he said.

ABCnews


http://abcnews.go.com/International...ses-russia-publicizing-iranian-bases-41564491
I don't know what made Iran or Russia to change, but I'm still wondering how could Iran allow these communist Russians who once attacked and bombed Imam Ridha shrine in Mashhad to use an Iranian base to bomb Syrians?

 

[Madali]

This is hilarious.
https://defence.pk/search/5143911/

Look at your threads you made. Its ALL Iran. Thats such a weird obsession, bro. See a doc.

 

[Hellfire]

Iran Revokes Russia’s Use of Air Base, Saying Moscow ‘Betrayed Trust’


By ANNE BARNARD and ANDREW E. KRAMERAUG. 22, 2016

Continue reading the main storyShare This Page

• Iran on Monday annulled permission for Russian planes to fly bombing runs into Syria from an Iranian base, only a week after having granted such extraordinary access, saying that the Kremlin had been unacceptably public and arrogant about the privilege.
  
  The about-face and the explanation for it from Iran’s foreign and defense ministries appeared to reflect deep-seated and longstanding suspicions of Russia despite their tactical alliance in the Syria war.
  
  The abruptness of the termination, even if temporary, also suggested that the Russians, eager to show widening influence in the Middle East, had seriously misread how a public announcement of their use of the Hamadan base in western Iran would reverberate among Iranians.
  
  Russia state news media had been trumpeting the deal as a sign that its partnership with Iran was deepening. No foreign power has based forces in Iran since World War II.
  
  In response to the annulment, the Russian military issued a statement saying its planes had already completed their missions.
  
  “The Russian military aircraft involved in launching airstrikes from the Iranian Hamadan base against terrorist sites in Syria successfully accomplished the tasks they had set out to complete,” Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. “All aircraft involved in this operation are now on Russian territory.”
  
  The agreement had seemingly marked a milestone for Russian foreign policy and a strengthening alliance with the region’s Shiite powers of Iran, Iraq and the government side in Syria’s civil war. And it would have allowed Russia to use greater firepower more easily in Syria, a new threat to opposition fighters.
  
  Continue reading the main story
  
  It was not clear why the agreement appeared to unravel so soon, and experts and American officials cautioned that it remains to be verified via satellite images that Russia’s operations from Iran have stopped.
  
  But Iran’s minister of defense, Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan, accused Russia of having publicized the deal excessively, calling the Kremlin’s behavior a “betrayal of trust” and “ungentlemanly.” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi, told reporters in Tehran that the permission had been temporary and “it is finished, for now.”
  
  Maziar Behrooz, a history professor at San Francisco State University and an expert on Iran-Russia relations, said Iran’s withdrawal of permission, at the very least, signaled “a lack of coordination between the Iranians and Russians” over how — or even whether — the deal would remain secret.
  
  “The Russians went public with this without assuring adequate sensitivities to Iran’s internal dynamics, in order to perhaps score a point and boost their prestige,” Mr. Behrooz said. “If the Russians hadn’t exposed this, no problem would have arisen.”
  
  It was only the latest in a series of ups and downs in the important but often uncomfortable relationship between Iran and Russia regarding the Syria war. Both sides have signaled they do not expect to agree on every issue. Their strategic collaboration is not considered under threat.
  
  But the perceived Russian arrogance may have been a step too far for Iranian sensitivities since the Russian takeover, nearly a year ago, of Iran’s role as the Syrian government’s leading ally.
  
  
  By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 00:18
  Iran Denies Russia Has a Local Base
  Video
  Iran Denies Russia Has a Local Base
  A spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry said that Russia does not have a base in Iran, and that airstrikes launched by Russia from Iran against militants in Syria was a temporary arrangement.
  
  By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS on Publish Date August 22, 2016. Photo by Atta Kenare/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images. Watch in Times Video »
  • Continue reading the main story
    Iran and Russia share major goals, chiefly preventing the ouster of President Assad by force. And they each have a stake in battling Islamist extremists they see as threats to their own security.
    
    But they have very different approaches, roles, and long-term visions.
    
    Russia’s priority is to block what it sees as Western-engineered regime change, part of its policy of opposing interference in any country’s internal affairs, and to preserve Syrian state institutions. It has signaled that it is not wedded to Mr. Assad’s long-term rule.
    
    Iran appears more focused on preserving and expanding its projection of power into the Middle East through relationships with the Lebanese group Hezbollah, other Shiite militias and with Mr. Assad, who has long guaranteed Hezbollah an arms supply route from Iran and belongs to the Alawite sect, a branch of Shiite Islam, the dominant faith in Iran.
    
    At the same time, Iran fueled the growth of Syrian pro-government militias, preferring to work with them. Since jumping into the conflict at a point where Iran seemed unable to keep Mr. Assad from faltering, Russia has tried to integrate these militias into the army.
    
    Iran and Russia face challenges collaborating in the field. Hezbollah fighters and supporters openly disdain the Syrian Army, and grumble that Russia has not given air support to its fighters. And Russian officials feel more comfortable dealing with Syrian Army commanders – many of them educated in Russia — than with the Shiite religious trappings of the militias.
    
    Russia and Iran also differ sharply on Israel. Iran and Israel see each other as irreconcilable enemies, while Russia maintains close relations with Israel, home to a million Russian emigrants.
    
    Then there is Iran’s long memory of the Russian empire battling the Persian Empire and gobbling up its periphery. To Iran, with its millennia-old national identity, it was not that long ago that the Russians were the enemy, fighting for control of Central Asia and the Caucasus
    
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    Continue reading the main story
    “Russia is not trusted. They just don’t trust each other,” said Cliff Kupchan, the chairman of the Eurasia Group, a Washington-based political risk consultancy. Russia’s flaunting of its Iran base privilege, he said, “was just too much for Iranian domestic politics to bear.”
    
    With a history of meddling by Western powers, notably Britain, Iran guards its sovereignty closely.
    
    After Russia’s Tupolev and Sukhoi bombers started flying last week, Iranian members of Parliament said the agreement might be in violation of the Constitution.
    
    “We have not given any military base to the Russians and they are not here to stay,” General Dehghan said. The two countries had “no written agreement” for use of the base, he said, adding that it was only a temporary agreement on refueling.
    
    Russia announced what it described as a deal to use the Iranian base on Aug. 16, saying it would shorten the distance flown by long-range bombers, which had been flying from southern Russia.
    
    A Russian analyst of the Middle East, Yuri Barmin, posted on Twitter that it was clear the base was “a temporary arrangement due to logistical difficulties” but added that the termination “was too quick.”
    
    Victor Mizin, a professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Russia’s university for diplomats, said the symbolism of the air base deal had been important in Moscow.
    
    “The message was a continuation of what Russia started in Syria,” Mr. Mizin said, “which is saying that Russia has returned to the status of a great power, like the Soviet Union, only without the ideology.”
    
    Anne Barnard reported from Beirut, and Andrew E. Kramer from Moscow. Rick Gladstone contributed reporting from New York.
    
    A version of this article appears in print on August 23, 2016, on page A7 of the New York edition with the headline: Citing Arrogance and Betrayed Trust, Iran Revokes Russia’s Use of Air Base.
    
    http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/23/world/middleeast/iran-russia-syria.html?ref=world
    
    @notorious_eagle @PARIKRAMA whats the trade off? Any ideas? I see it as a diplomatic maneuvering

 

[Mahmoud_EGY]

any one knows why this happened ?

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

The war in general has gone out of hand the sooner it all stops the better for whole region as whole that is why

However I was surprised why there was a need to launch a mission from Iran ? It could have been done from Syria , where they have basis already

 

[mohsen]

This news was denied by the chairman of Iran Parliament Ali Larijani.

Though this kind of lies isn't surprising from a ministry which Zarif leads.

http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13950602000211

 

[500]

Russian Tu-22 carpet bombs Maarat al-Artik village, unleashing its full load of 24 bombs:

 

[mike2000 is back]

Lool why were the Iranians trying to hide it?
I don't understand why some Iranians hate us more than Russia. As the article says when we invaded and ruled Iran we left out of our own will. But the Russians refused to leave . Shows you we are not as bad as others will have us believe.

This new middle eastern great game by U.S, U.K, France and Russia is getting interesting though, with military bases now scattered all over the region.

 

[Serpentine]

This new middle eastern great game by U.S, U.K, France and Russia is getting interesting though, with military bases now scattered all over the region.

There is no great game, and there is no foreign military base inside Iran. Russian or Martian, no difference.

 

[mike2000 is back]

There is no great game, and there is no foreign military base inside Iran. Russian or Martian, no difference.

So Russia never used your country's military bases to launch attacks in Syria??lool
If Russian authorities didn't say the truth publicly they will still be using military bases in your country. At least the Russians were open about tis, why hide it?

Anyway if you and your angry foreign ministry spokesman say there is none, then so be it.

 

[raptor22]

So Russia never used your country's military bases to launch attacks in Syria??lool
If Russian authorities didn't say the truth publicly they will still be using military bases in your country. At least the Russians were open about tis, why hide it?

Anyway if you and your angry foreign ministry spokesman say there is none, then so be it.

Using an airport for refueling bombers is completely different by giving a country control of entire a military base ... there's been negotiation btw Iran, Russia, Iraq and Syria for counter terrorism missions in Syria and Iraq against ISIS and other terrorists groups and what happened about Russian birds was a part of these negotiations not a long lasting military pact btw two countries ...

 

[mike2000 is back]

Using an airport for refueling bombers is completely different by giving a country control of entire a military base ... there's been negotiation btw Iran, Russia, Iraq and Syria for counter terrorism missions in Syria and Iraq against ISIS and other terrorists groups and what happened about Russian birds was a part of these negotiations not a long lasting military pact btw two countries ...

Huh......if that is really the case, then why is Iran trying so hard to hide it?

 

[raptor22]

Huh......if that is really the case, then why is Iran trying so hard to hide it?

Do you think such a thing could be kept as a secret? even Russia for the last one and half year has provided the US about its missions in Syria to prevent any probable incident .... last year Russian fired cruise missiles at Syria from the Caspian sea through Iran airspace .... so nothing new regarding Iran Russia cooperation in Syria ...Actually Iran - Russia cooperation facilitated faster and more deadly missions in Syria against terrorists ..
FYI previously and in 2008 Russian asked for constructing two military bases in Iran one near Turkey borders to control Georgia, Turkey and Azarbajegan and the other one in Qeshm island in Persian gulf to monitor and control the US ... which clearly was rejected ...even in the recent cooperation btw two countries Russian again asked for having their own military base in Iran which again was rejected ... what happened was merely about Syria that's why Iran defense minister said if we feel that it needed to let Russian to use our bases again we will do it ....
It's a war and all sides try to use everything to overcome the other side in the war and no one in middle of war would shout his plans so every Tom, Dick, and Harry would know it ....

 

[Madali]

Huh......if that is really the case, then why is Iran trying so hard to hide it?

Maybe next time Russia and Iran can first post at PDF about all of their military plans, so you can be completely aware of everything, before they take any action.

 

[mike2000 is back]

Do you think such a thing could be kept as a secret? even Russia for the last one and half year has provided the US about its missions in Syria to prevent any probable incident .... last year Russian fired cruise missiles at Syria from the Caspian sea through Iran airspace .... so nothing new regarding Iran Russia cooperation in Syria ...Actually Iran - Russia cooperation facilitated faster and more deadly missions in Syria against terrorists ..
FYI previously and in 2008 Russian asked for constructing two military bases in Iran one near Turkey borders to control Georgia, Turkey and Azarbajegan and the other one in Qeshm island in Persian gulf to monitor and control the US ... which clearly was rejected ...even in the recent cooperation btw two countries Russian again asked for having their own military base in Iran which again was rejected ... what happened was merely about Syria that's why Iran defense minister said if we feel that it needed to let Russian to use our bases again we will do it ....
It's a war and all sides try to use everything to overcome the other side in the war and no one in middle of war would shout his plans so every Tom, Dick, and Harry would know it ....

Nope, Russia revealing they have a base in Iran from which they can launch airstrikes into Syria won't change much. Since nobody will target them there in the first place . THERE IS NOTHING SPECIAL IN THAT. It just means it's easier for Russia's strategic bombers to operate in such an Iranian airfield than from a syrian one, giving the logistics supplies and infrastructure available in Iran. So it means they can bring in more firepower to Bob the crap outta Syrian opposition targets.
So Iranian authorities trying to hide this news has nothing much to do with 'war plans' or whatever, it's just because after the mullahs rhetorics about western imperialists using bases in the middle East for strikes, the Mullahs didn't want their audience and other public in the middle East to know they also allow 'Russian imperialist' access to Iranian bases from where they can bomb Syria. Simple as that.

Don't get me wrong though, I don't think there is anything wrong with Iran allowing Russia to have access to military bases on its soil. As long as it serves Iran's interests, then so be it, who cares? . At the end of the day, the end justifies the means .