The Iranian base Hamadan was used by the Russian Federation for the purpose ofstrengthening the air group VKS of Russia in the Syrian state. The exact date of commencement of the use of the airfield is November 23, 2015. It was located for periods of long-range bombers Tu-22M3 and Su-34 front-line aircraft.
What allowed Russia on August 20, 2016 Iran? Base hamadan started using our pilots in perpetuityorder in order to launch air strikes at ISIS units. Less than a week after the military began to use the flight base, Tehran was followed by an official statement that the use of the aerodrome by Russia would cease. This information was officially confirmed by the Kremlin and the Russian Embassy in Iran. Although the statement of the Islamic Republic was unexpected and exposed Russia from the hard-hitting side, the response was restrained.
Soon, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani refuted information about the cessation of flights, announcing that Russian pilots continue to use the airbase.
What was Hamadan for?
Russian media have repeatedly said thatfor our country, this base is extremely important. Why did Iran provide the airfield? Base Hamadan has simplified military operations conducted in Syria from the air, and also contributed to a multiple increase in their effectiveness.
Recall that a large Russian air baselocated in Mozdok at a distance of 2.5 thousand kilometers. So what is the attractive base Hamadan? The Russian Space Forces carried out a takeoff from Hamadan, located 800-900 kilometers from the intended target, which provided significant fuel savings in favor of ammunition. As a result, the combat load increased by 4 times.
The fact that Hamadan will be completely Russianbase, similar to the Syrian Heimim with security and technical staff of our citizens, it did not even go. The airfield remained under the leadership of Iran. In fact, he was not even a base, but a jump airfield, where Russian aircraft were given the opportunity to refuel and carry out minor repairs.
When was the base tested?
The first approbation of Hamadan was held in 2015year, when the Russian bomber "Su-34" landed at the airport for the purpose of repair. The plane was at the base for two days, during which it was corrected by technicians from Russia who arrived there. Why is the news that Russian aircraft are taking off from Hamadan, so excited Iran?
What does the Iranian Foreign Ministry say about this?
Why did Russia leave Hamadan base? The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran in his address stressed that the agreement between Iran and Russia was temporary.
The diplomat also stressed that attacks on extremist formations of the ISIL by Russian aircraft were carried out exclusively with the permission of Iran.
Earlier, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehgan harshly criticized his Russian colleagues for disclosing secret information about the use of Russian HQs by Hamadan.
Scrupulous question
Iranian and Russian diplomatic relations lastfor many centuries. At the same time they can hardly be called simple. The Iranians have many claims to our country. In the national self-consciousness, grievances accumulated over a long period of time are firmly seated.
Over the past century, the Russian state is notonce interfered in the internal affairs of Persia. Until 1917, our country had three times the intervention, and during the Second World War, Russia, together with England, carried out a total occupation of the state. Large claims have accumulated not only against the northern neighbor. Iran for many years in the international political arena has played the role of an object, not a subject. The country suffered a lot of suffering due to the showdown of major powers.
As a result, after the accomplishment of the Islamic revolutionin 1979, all foreign advisers from the country were expelled, and the absence of foreign military units on the territory of the state became a fundamental position.
According to the teacher of the European Universityin St. Petersburg, Nikolai Kozhanov, in Iran for 37 years, the prevention of foreign troops on the territory of the country was promoted. And suddenly, what step is Iran on? The base Hamadan becomes the location of the Russian military bombers. Tehran made an ambiguous decision, with the result that the majority of the population had a logical question: what about our policy of sovereignty?
At the same time, opponents of the presence of Russian troops onthe territory of the country is quite a lot. Basically, they join the ranks of the reformist sense. Conservative-minded citizens, on the contrary, make every effort to muffle this wave of discontent. For them, the help of Russian troops in Syria is of great importance.
How did the government react?ordinary citizens of the state of Iran? The base Hamadan has long been discussed in forums on the Internet. This question has become very painful. Forum participants openly expressed their discontent, commentators constantly reminded about the insidious policy of Russia, and government officials tried to tame the raging debate.
Political games
Tensions of the Iranian authoritiesquite explainable. An unceasing struggle between the liberal-minded political elite, led by President Rouhani, and the conservative party, one of whose ideological leaders is the former President of the Republic Ahmadinejad, is constantly taking place in the country. The Conservative Party is supported by representatives of the Iranian clergy and most of the officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The members of these two currents have diametricallyopposite views. Liberals believe that the actions of the Russian troops in Syria have brought very little fruit, our country could do more. They want Russia to bring Tehran a quick victory in Syria.
According to the senior researcherInstitute of Oriental Studies, RAS, Professor Vladimir Sazhin, conservatives are confident that the actions of Russian troops in Syria are characterized by increased efficiency. This undermines the political position of Iran, for which Syria is the only official union state in the world. Therefore, Iran is showing its discontent towards Russia. The Islamic state does not quite like the strengthening of our country's positions in the Middle East region.
In May 2017, Iran will be heldpresidential elections. The conflict around such infrastructure as the military base Hamadan was a key element in the tense political struggle being waged in the capital of the country.
According to the leading researcher of the Instituteof the international security problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Alexei Fenenko, two parties are fighting in Iran, one of which promotes rapprochement with the West in the hope that economic sanctions will be lifted, while the other believes that nothing will change from rapprochement and Russia should improve its relations.
Iran’s Defense Ministerpolitical group. According to many Russian political scientists, America will apply countermeasures to Russia and announce that our country is cooperating with Shiites against the Sunnis.
Share blame lies on Russia
A large share of responsibility for all thathappened in Iran, lies on the Kremlin itself. Moscow hastened to make a report on the country's political success in obtaining a new base. The fact is that, when mentioning Hamadan, representatives of the Russian authorities often expressed wishful thinking. Undoubtedly, Russia wanted to have an additional military base in Iran, where Russian military personnel would serve, as well as equipment and aviation specialists. However, Tehran was clearly not ready for such a turn of events. The very thought of such a development of events plunged many Iranian citizens into indignation.
Is America to blame for the misunderstanding?
When Iran officially announced that the base was Hamadanwill not be transferred to Russia, political experts of our country immediately began to blame for what happened on America. Political analyst Kozhanov believes that the reason is quite different. Russia wanted to get a second Hamim in the East, even if the base would act within the restrictive framework. The Iranians tried to get off small, giving Russian military aircraft the right to refuel and repair, but no more. The idea of a jump airfield could well have been sold to the Iranian population, but in reality there was no longer a full-fledged base.
According to many policy experts,Moscow had to weigh the pros and cons, taking into account the specifics of the Iranian policy and not allowing itself to publicly say that our country has created a new air base. Such statements were heard from some Russian parliamentarians, either because of a misunderstanding of the situation, or because of the prevailing euphoria of political victory.
Why did Russian politicians decide to make the secret explicit?
According to Sazhin, the fact that Russia decided to arrange a PR campaign from the deployment of its military aircraft in Iran caused a wave of discontent among Iranian military officials.
Бесспорно, во времена спутникового отслеживания Any Russian strategic bomber that would fly into the air would immediately be recorded, and the intelligence results would be reported to the Pentagon and NATO headquarters.
The Russian expert believes thatRussian fighters use Hamadan, they would have known all countries, but no one would have said anything. This state of affairs would suit many. The mistake of our country lies in the fact that the authorities too clearly advertised the stay of Russian pilots in Iran. On the other hand, the act of Iran can hardly be called correct. First, he allows the basing of aircraft, and then sharply prohibits. By its action, the Islamic state has inflicted enormous damage to the image of Russia.
What say representatives of the Russian generals about the incident
По словам экс-начальника главного управления Colonel General Leonid Ivashov’s international cooperation with the Ministry of Defense of Russia, the Hamadan airbase was used in the strict framework of a specific agreement between the presidents of Russia and Iran. It would be wrong to make hasty conclusions that Russia was leasing the Hamadan base. It was used for joint operations with Iran as an aerodrome of jump. The planes fulfilled their military tasks and returned to the points of permanent deployment. So there is nothing surprising in the fact that the use of the base is suspended, no. According to the colonel-general, there was no point in continuing the bombers based in Hamadan. Even a temporary deployment requires a lot of money.
According to Ivashov, what Iran tookRussia's statements about its bases as a demonstration performance were fundamentally wrong. This position is caused by some misunderstanding. But the military stressed that Iran has the right to be dissatisfied with the public presentation of the presence of the Russian HQs at their base.
How will events develop further?
What turn will take the further developmentevents, it is very difficult to talk. The official statement made by Larijani, as well as the response statements of our diplomats instill a fair amount of optimism.
As political scientist Vladimir Sazhin notes, on a sharpthe demarche of the Iranian Defense Minister The Kremlin reacted very gently, explaining the cessation of the presence of Russian pilots so that the use of the Hamadan base had expired since the mission of the military pilots was completed. This was a sign that Moscow is not pursuing the goal of breaking off diplomatic relations with Iran or somehow worsening them. Although, undoubtedly, the unpleasant aftertaste of this story will remain in both states.
According to the expert, a significant impact onthe development of bilateral relations between countries, this incident will not have. At the moment, our country is actively searching for ways to establish contact with Iran. The possibility of expanding military cooperation with the Islamic State is being considered. What is the relationship between Russia and Iran? The base Hamadan may be used by Russian troops in the future as a place of temporary deployment.
В настоящее время МИД Ирана отмечает, что The use of Hamadan was a sanctioned mission that was completed. The official representative, Bahram Ghasemi, does not rule out that in the future Russian pilots will be able to fly from Iran, but everything will depend on the overall situation in the country.
