Russia to stop using Iranian airbase
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has announced that Russia has stopped using the Hamedan airbase for the time being, Reuters reported.
Last week, Russian Tu-22M3 and Su-34 bombers took off from the Iranian airbase to carry out airstrikes in Syria, drawing condemnation from Washington and some lawmakers in Tehran. Critics claim the arrangement violates Iran’s constitution which forbids "the establishment of any kind of foreign military base in Iran, even for peaceful purposes".
Hossein Dehghan, Iran’s Defense Minister, rejected the claim that it was a breach of the constitution, but he did criticize Russia for publicizing the operation, describing it as “a betrayal of trust” and “showing off”.
The Iranian Minister stated that there was no written agreement between the two countries and the cooperation was temporary.
He added that Russia was to use the airbase only for refueling.
Russia and Iran both support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian war that has raged for five years.
Washington claims Russia’s use of the Hamedan airbase is a violation of a UN Security Council Resolution.