TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Russia’s ambassador to Iran, Levan Dzhagaryan, said Moscow’s cooperation with Tehran against terrorist groups in Syria has a “positive perspective”.
“Interaction with Tehran on Syria has positive perspective,” Dzhagaryan said on Monday in an interview with Russia's Interfax news agency.
He added that the two countries are determined to further strengthen their military cooperation and resolve the ongoing crisis in the Arab country.
Referring to Russia’s recent use of an airbase in western Iran for bombing Takfiri terrorists’ positions in Syria, he said, “All Russian military left Iran’s Hamedan airbase."
The Russian Air Force may resume operation from the Iranian airbase when it is “expedient and by the decision of leaders” of the two countries, the Russian diplomat said, adding that Moscow sees no obstacle to using Iran’s military infrastructure in the future again.
Also on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said that Russian military jets’ use of the airbase has ended for the time being.
Qassemi noted that Tehran and Moscow had agreed to publicize such cooperation after the aerial operations.
He said Iran and Russia have developed strategic relations in certain areas, as in the fight against the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group, but made it clear that Russians have not been stationed in Iran and do not have any base inside the country either.
Tehran will spare no effort to honor an agreement with Moscow on joint action against terrorism, the spokesman underlined, saying Russia has used the Iranian airspace with Tehran’s prior permission as part of counter-terrorism collaborations.
On Saturday, Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said the Russian aircraft fly to the Iranian airbase to be either refueled or get reloaded, noting that they use the base for more effective operation against terrorist groups in Syria.
Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL), currently controlling parts of it.
Meanwhile, Russia’s aerial support for the Syrian forces since September 2015 has given fresh impetus to the fight against the foreign-backed terrorists.
Iran has also remained a close ally of Syria and supports its legitimate government in the face of militancy.