A US State Department official said that Russia’s use of the Hamadan air base in Iran is “unfortunate but not surprising” for the US.
Photo: the Russian Defense Ministry
On Tuesday, a US State Department official said that Russia’s use of the Hamadan air base in Iran for carrying out air strikes in Syria is “unfortunate but not surprising.” The official also added that the extent of Russian-Iranian cooperation is still being assessed by Washington.
According to Mark Toner, State Department spokesman, the fact of Russia’s use of the Iranian base would not necessarily prevent the United States from reaching an agreement about cooperating with Moscow in the fight against Islamic State in Syria.
At the same time, he also added that they “are not there yet” on a cooperation deal and noted that Moscow has continued to carry out airstrikes against Syrian moderate opposition, which is supported by the US.
However, already on Wednesday, the State Department said that US government attorneys are looking at whether Russia has violated the UN Security Council Resolution №2231 on military dealings with Tehran.
The resolution was passed as part of the Iran nuclear deal and governs some military interactions between Iran and other countries, including the supply, sale or transfer of military technologies or the provision of training or financial assistance related to the acquisition of new technologies.
“As I understand it, it’s not just supplying the Iranians certain weapons or certain offensive weaponry. It’s more complex than that,” Toner said. “Our lawyers are looking at it. We haven’t made an assessment,” he added.
The US official also noted that Russia’s use of the base in Iran is not “helpful because … it continues to complicate what is already a very dangerous situation.”
A representative of the Russian Defense Ministry advised the US State Department “to check for logic and knowledge of the fundamental documents of the international law,” noting that the resolution refers to the need to obtain permission of the UN Security Council for “selling”, “transfer” or “use” of combat aircraft “inside of Iran”.
“is not helpful because it continues to complicate what is already a very dangerous situation” The dangerous situation is the presence of the Russian air force, a strong block to their planned “preemptive strike” on Iran. The “report” of 80 – 100 thousand , Iranian popular forces, poised to attack Mosul, whether true or not, sounds like the creation of a reason to strike. The US still has a sizeable force in Iraq, but if the last stronghold of ISIS is removed, they would have no marketable reason to stay. Unless of course, they can get things going with Iran. But suddenly an attack on Iran, is also an attack on Russian . Many expect the next President Clinton to order that strike, but doing the unexpected is normal military thinking. China coming to the aid of Syria , creates the possibility of victory over the Wahhabi’s, no matter how many mercenaries the Saudi’s send from Jordan, or Turkey. The Iranian peoples are noble, and well worth protecting.
Russia and Iran don’t have anything like a mutual defense agreement, so I think that overstates their relationship a bit.
I agree the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia will go to war with Iran soon (as they have always planned), but it would be uncharacteristic of them to attack it – as in a direct, full-blown invasion. They will find some way to provoke Iran to act out of anger (limited strike, false-flag, etc.), and then attack Iran with claims of self-defense. That’s the typical cowardly tactics to expect.
The most obvious provocation would be for Israel to attack Iran’s non-existent nuclear weapons development sites. The only thing I can’t figure out with that scheme is how they will pull Saudi Arabia into the fight – only to throw it under the bus as a target for Iranian retaliation. Iran can’t retaliate to an Israeli strike by attacking Israel directly. That will automatically result in the U.S. ‘defending’ Israel and be disastrous for Iran. The U.S. and Israel will have to use some other scheme to provoke Iran to either attack Saudi Arabia out of retaliation or close the Straits of Hormuz. Either one is all the excuse they need to start escalating attacks on Iran and counter-attacks from them into a full-blown war. In reality, there are many ways to provoke Iran and many ways for Iran to react. It’s only important that the U.S./Israel/Saudi Arabia have some kind of plausible excuse to begin the escalation, not matter how weak.
Any attack on Iran will not be viewed by Moscow as an attack on Russia and merit that kind of response. If Hamadan (Noje) Air Base or Russian aircraft were bombed, then that would be a different matter. Otherwise, it would just be an Iranian matter. Russia wouldn’t like it one bit and complain, but the Russian-Iranian relation as of today is not one of mutual defense. That said, Putin is perfectly aware of U.S./Israeli/Saudi intentions to provoke Iran into a war and will not just sit idly by an let this happen. The Russian bombers at Noje are a subtle, but concrete reminder to the warmongers that they cannot act with impunity against Iran – there will be some kind consequences. Putin will not go so far as to drag Russia into WW III merely over Iran, however. The U.S. has many other schemes to provoke Russia and China into WW III that have nothing to do with Iran. An Iranian war just provides them one additional opportunity.
The Iranians for their part are very wary of any foreign involvement in Iranian affairs. While they would like help from Russia and China if attacked, they don’t want to depend on either one and don’t want to ever be at the point of asking them for such help. I’m actually pretty amazed that the Iranians agreed to let the Russians or anyone else use Noje. The Iranians don’t trust anyone, including Russia and China. They don’t hate them like they hate the U.S., but Iran will never be best buddies with any other foreign power. I wouldn’t expect to see more of the same in the future. Iran is not about to let anyone start setting up bases there. Russia is fine with that – they don’t intend to have to bomb head-choppers in Syria for the next ten years from an Iranian base.
Our U.S. State Dept lied about Iran’s ballistic missile tests violating 2231 and they are lying now.
Here is the actual text in 2231 in italics below. Clearly, the context is referring to the usage of weapons by Iran and trying to cover cases where a country would give or sell military equipment to Iran. It would not apply to Iran allowing the use of its territory to another country. Only the U.S. state dept could say that with a straight face. Using their logic, why not say that Iran is not allowed to let the Russians pass through their airspace, oh, I better not give them any ideas.
5. All States may participate in and permit, provided that the Security Council decides in advance on a case-by-case basis to approve: the supply, sale or transfer directly or indirectly from or through their territories, or by their nationals or individuals subject to their jurisdiction, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, and whether or not originating in their territories, to Iran, or for the use in or benefit of Iran, of any battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, large caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles or missile systems, as defined for the purpose of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, or related materiel, including spare parts, and the provision to Iran by their nationals or from or through their territories of technical training, financial resources or services, advice, other services or assistance related to the supply, sale, transfer, manufacture, maintenance,
Years of depraved U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East
has finally awakened both ‘The Bear -Russia;’ and ‘The Dragon – China,’ from their slumber.
Now the claws of U.S. depravity in the Middle East is being clipped.
The idiotic foreign policy of the U.S., to control the ‘oil wealth’ of the Middle East, in order to support the U.S. dollar as a world currency, and thereby control the affairs of the world is being clipped.
And now, these 2 major powers confronting the U.S., are not going to tolerate American dictates.
From what I understand, not only is America ill equipped militarily, politically, or even economically
to confront the genie it has created through its vast hubris and infinite stupidity, it’s quiet prepared to have a nuclear exchange with these 2 powers. Of course, not only destroy all of humankind but also destroy every living creature that swims, crawls, or walks on the face of the earth.
All for what? So, you and I should use the U.S. dollar?!
When all is said and done. Eternity will be indifferent to the bleak remains of the planet called earth as it rotates forever soundlessly around the sun, within the solar system, within the milky way, and finally, within the infinite cosmos.
That was beautiful ♡
Awww!
Russia: You jelly?
Amurrcastan: No! No! No! That’s *not* FAIR! I HATE YOU! **runs away crying**