Iran says it requested Russian strikes on Syria’s Aleppo

UN warns Aleppo risks ‘catastrophe,’ urges 48-hour truce

TEHRAN, Aug 23, (Agencies): Russian warplanes bombed Aleppo at Iran’s request to assist its military advisors on the ground in the flashpoint Syrian city, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday.

Ali Shamkhani, the top official coordinating security and political affairs between Tehran and its allies, Moscow and Damascus, was quoted by state television saying Iran called in Russian strikes “next to the land operation” in Aleppo.

“Iran has brought the powerful Russia along ... due to its need to cooperate with Syria” in the fight against jihadists, added Shamkhani.

Iran and Russia are key backers of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but Tehran has remained relatively guarded about its precise involvement in the conflict.

Russia surprised the international community last week when it announced that its warplanes had flown out of Iran’s Hamedan base to conduct strikes against targets in Syria.

That announcement prompted Iranian defence minister General Hossein Dehghan to criticise Russia’s “showing off and inconsiderate attitude”.

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman on Monday denied any differences with Russia over the use of Hamedan, adding that Russian raids from Iranian territory had ended for now.

“These planes did not leave (Monday) but on Thursday, in accordance with the land operations and not under pressure from any other country,” Shamkhani said on state television.

It is illegal under Iran’s constitution to give military bases to foreign armies.

“The coalition among Iran, Syria and Russia to fight terrorism exists,” Shamkhani added.

Meanwhile, the UN humanitarian chief on Monday urged all combatants in Aleppo to agree to a 48-hour pause to allow delivery of desperately needed aid, warning that otherwise the world risks seeing a “humanitarian catastrophe unparalleled in the over five years of bloodshed” in Syria.

Stephen O’Brien said Aleppo is being bombed every day, including a dozen new attacks on Monday, and has become “the apex of horror” in “the greatest crisis of our time.”

He told the UN Security Council, which has been deeply divided over Syr- ia, that “you have the power with a pen — a simple pen stroke — to allow food to people.”

O’Brien said the UN asked to deliver aid to nearly 1 million people in besieged and hard-to-reach areas in August, but the Syrian government approved less than 50 percent of the requests, denying aid to rebel-held eastern Aleppo and several other besieged areas.

O’Brien said that not one aid convoy has moved yet due to fighting, insecurity and bureaucratic requirements, and the end of the month is just nine days away.

Russia, a close ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government, said last Thursday it was ready to back the UN call for weekly 48-hour cease-fires in Aleppo, provided aid convoys travel to both rebelcontrolled and government-controlled