Submitted by Al Masdar News
According to media sources close to the Iranian government, Russian heavy bombers are once again permitted to operate from Iranian military airfields.
Sources say that the development comes after an agreement was reached between between Russian and Iranian high-level military-diplomatic officials. It gives Russian bombers the right to transit Iranian airspace and use at least two Iranian military airports for refueling.
🔴 #ایران با درخواست #روسیه برای عبور بمبافکنهای دوربرد روسیه از آسمان کشورمان و حتی فرودشان برای سوختگیری در پایگاه هوایی نوژه همدان موافقت کرده است
— Hossein Dalirian (@HosseinDalirian) April 13, 2018
این درخواست در دیدار محرمانه نماینده پوتین با شمخانی، به طرف ایرانی ارائه شده بود pic.twitter.com/DM89rnwQsi
Although unsaid, the development is most likely a response to recent US threats against the Syrian military – a close ally of both nations – following an alleged chemical attack in rural Damascus.
The information of development also comes after two Tu-95 and two Tu-22M heavy bombers were noted to have left their permanent base in Russia for an unknown destination.
During mid-2016, Russian Tu-22M bombers temporarily used the Iranian Hamadan Airbase amid a major bombing operation against Islamic State forces in eastern Syria.