The Latest: Russia says all warplanes back from Iran
BEIRUT (AP) — The Latest on developments in the Syrian war (all times local):
4:45 p.m.
The Russian Defense Ministry says all Russian warplanes that were based in Iran, from which they launched airstrikes in Syria, have returned back to Russia.
The ministry said in a statement on Monday that as long as Iran agrees Russia could use the Iranian air base again “depending on the situation” in Syria.
Russia first announced last week that its planes had flown combat missions from Iran, a move that represented a historical rapprochement between Moscow and Tehran.
Moscow’s comments came hours after the Iranian Defense Ministry criticized Russia for having “kind of show-off and ungentlemanly” attitude for publicizing the fact that it had used the Iranian base.
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2 p.m.
A Syrian Kurdish news agency says clashes have erupted again in the northern Syrian city of Hasakeh between Kurdish fighters and Syrian pro-government militias.
Monday’s outbreak follows a short lull in violence the day before.
The Hawar News Agency says fighters loyal to the Kurdish political movement are engaged with pro-government fighters in the city. The government and the Kurdish movement have shared control of the city since the early years of the Syrian civil war.
Syrian government planes bombed Kurdish positions in Hasakeh last week as the struggle for predominance in the city escalated. The clashes had calmed Sunday amid news of a possible truce.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Kurdish fighters have advanced into the city’s eastern Ghouieran neighborhood amid “violent” clashes.
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12:10 p.m.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman says Russia will stop using an Iranian air base for airstrikes in Syria for the time being.
Bahram Ghasemi told reporters on Monday in Tehran that the Russian airstrikes on militants in Syria were “temporary, based on a Russian request.”
He also says the strikes were carried out with “mutual understanding and with Iran’s permission” and that the Russian mission “is finished, for now.”
Ghasemi reiterated that Russia “has no base in Iran.”
His remarks reflect the Iranian authorities’ displeasure at the extent of publicity Russia’s use of an Iranian air base got last week.
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9:30 a.m.
Iran’s defense minister is chastising Russia, saying Moscow’s announcement on using Iranian bases for attacks on Syrian militants was “kind of show off and ungentlemanly.”
State TV’s website on Monday quoted Gen. Hossein Dehghan as saying “Russians seek to show that they are a superpower.”
Dehghan’s remarks were the first sign of pushback from Tehran after Russia last week began using Iranian territory to launch airstrikes in Syria, with Moscow’s bombers flying out of the Islamic Republic for three straight days to hit what Russia says are Islamic State targets and other militants in the war-ravaged country.
Iran only confirmed the flights and the use of its bases a day after Russia made the announcement.
Dehghan’s comments suggest Iran may not have wanted the flights publicized to such an extent.
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