War on terror

Russia Keeps Up Syria Airstrikes From Iran

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner on Tuesday called Russia’s use of the Iranian base “unfortunate, but not surprising.” He added that it may violate U.N. Security Council resolution 2231, which forbids the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran without the council’s prior approval.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov escalated the war of words, denying Wednesday that operating from Iran violated the resolution.

“There are no reasons to suspect Russia of breaking the U.N. resolution,” he said. “Russia hasn’t supplied or transferred Russian military planes to Iran.”

Russia’s military also responded forcefully to U.S. criticism, saying that the State Department had misinterpreted the resolution.

“First of all, they should check the contents of U.N. resolution No. 2231,” Russian military spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said. “It says that warplanes are ‘sold,’ ‘transferred’ or ‘used’ inside Iran only with the permission of the U.N. Security Council.”