Iran's Official Support for Russia's Military Operations in Syria

While NATO and the United States have expressed concern over Russia's attacks on targets other than ISIS in Syria, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has supported the military operations of this country, calling it "a step towards combating terrorism and the crisis resulting from it in the region." According to the state news agency IRNA, Marzieh Afkham, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated on Thursday, October 1, that "a real and fundamental fight against the phenomenon of terrorism requires serious determination and international joint action based on cooperation with the governments of Iraq and Syria." Ms. Afkham described Russia's military operations in Syria as "a step towards combating terrorism and in the direction of resolving the ongoing crisis resulting from it in the region," considering the "official request" of the Syrian government. The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday, September 30, that Russian fighter jets targeted "eight positions of the group known as the Islamic State." However, NATO has expressed concern in response to reports that indicate Russia targeted positions other than those of the "Islamic State" at the beginning of its airstrikes in Syria and attacked Western-backed rebels. U.S. officials have also expressed doubts about the intentions of the Russians in the attacks that have taken place. Prior to the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson's support for Russia's military operations in Syria, Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior advisor and military assistant to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, emphasized on Friday, September 18, that the two countries are "coordinated" and are providing military advice to the Syrian government alongside Hezbollah in Lebanon. Russia and Iran are the two main allies of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, and meanwhile, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday, September 9, that Iran and Greece have granted permission to use their airspace for the delivery of Russian aid to Syria. Additionally, the Lebanese newspaper As-Safir, close to Hezbollah, reported on Tuesday, September 15, that Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, the external branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has traveled to Moscow for the second time in the past month "in line with the efforts of Russia and Iran for joint cooperation in Syria." Soleimani's previous trip to Russia faced criticism from the United States, but Iran and Russia denied reports about this trip.