Russia gets permission to use Iran’s Hamadan air base for Syria airstrikes

MOSCOW, Nov. 30 (UPI) – Russia is considering using Iran’s Hamadan airbase to launch airstrikes on insurgents in Syria if its aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, leaves Syria’s coastline on the Mediterranean for a new mission, Russian and Iranian officials said.
“The necessity to use the airfield of the airbase in Hamadan could emerge if Admiral Kuznetsov carries out another operation and [Russia] will not be able to use it for airstrikes… in Syria,” Viktor Ozerov on Saturday told RIA Novosti,, Russia’s state-operated international news agency
Earlier in the day, Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said that Iran might allow Russia to use Hamadan in its air operation against militants in Syria.
Hossein Sheikholeslam, an adviser to Iran’s foreign minister, repeated the offerTuesday, saying: “If the situation demands it, like it did in August, we’re ready to allow Russian warplanes to take off and refuel at this airfield.”
Iran allowed Russia to operate from the base in mid-August. The jets returned to Russia after completing their mission one week later.
The Russian Aerospace Forces began their operation in Syria on Sept. 30, 2015.