Russia uses Iran to strike Syria militants again, rejects U.S. censure

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS | Wed Aug 17, 2016 6:42am EDT

Russia uses Iran to strike Syria militants again, rejects U.S. censure

Russia used an Iranian air base to launch air strikes in Syria for a second day running on Wednesday, rejecting U.S. suggestions its co-operation with Tehran might violate a U.N. resolution.

Russia's Defence Ministry said that SU-34 fighter bombers flying from Iran's Hamadan air base had struck Islamic State targets in Syria's Deir al-Zor province, destroying two command posts and killing more than 150 militants.

Moscow first used Iran as a base from which to launch air strikes in Syria on Tuesday, deepening its involvement in the five-year-old Syrian civil war and angering the United States.

Washington called the move "unfortunate" and said on Tuesday it was looking into whether Russia's move had violated U.N. Security Council resolution 2231, which prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-russia-iran-idUSKCN10S0VB

[DFW]

1. Sergei Shoygu will merely smile and point out:

The UN resolution "prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran," but the Russian warplanes were merely passing through. What violation?