Russian MoD: Russian aircraft have completed their mission at Iranian airbase
The aircraft that bombed terrorist targets in Syria from the Hamadan airbase in Iran have fulfilled their mission and returned to the Russian Federation. Iran is ready to provide further military infrastructure to Russia, Interfax wrote.
The spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major General Igor Konashenkov, stated on August 22 that the Russian bombers and fighter jets that bombed terrorist targets in Syria and used the Iranian airfield as a base have achieved their objectives and returned to the Russian Federation.
“The further use of Hamadan airbase in the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Russian Aerospace Forces will be implemented on the basis of mutual agreements on the fight against terrorism and depending on the unfolding situation in Syria,” the representative from the Russian military agency stated.
The withdrawal of Russian aviation from the Hamadan military base doesn’t mean that Iran has changed its position on cooperating with Moscow in the fight against international terrorism, Interfax reported, referencing an Iranian source.
“It doesn’t mean that Iran refused Russia, made Moscow terminate the operation, or changed its decision. Nothing has changed in this respect. Iran allows Russia to use its military infrastructure. Moreover, Iran is ready to provide infrastructure not only in Hamadan but also in other areas,” Interfax quotes its source.
Earlier, Tehran stated that Russia has ceased using the Hamadan military airbase. In the evening of August 21, the Iranian Minister of Defense, Hossein Dehghan, criticized Moscow for indiscretion and swagger after Russia globally distributed information on its indefinite use of the Iranian Hamadan airbase. Dehghan noted that Iran didn’t transfer any military bases to Russia and Russian servicemen have only temporarily settled in Iran.