Tuesday, August 18, 2015

FM Zarif in Russia, Russian humanitarian aid plane in Syria

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and diplomatic delegation arrive in Moscow, disembarking from Islamic Republic of Iran Government Airbus A321-231, reg. EP-AGB (cn 1202), Flight details provided below (source: Fightradar24.com)

Iranian foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif received by Iranian Embassy to Russia Federation staff members and Artesh colonel, likely Iran military attache to Russia.

Press conference in Moscow for visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Russian Federation Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Details of the press and private conferences according to Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty include the following:
Moscow and Tehran say they plan to expand military and economic cooperation after international sanctions against Iran are lifted under a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said in Moscow on August 17 that both sides hope the agreement on Iran's nuclear program will enter into force "in the nearest weeks."
Russia is seen as eager to get a head start in what is expected to be an international race for lucrative contracts with Iran once sanctions are lifted. Of particular interest to Moscow is Iran's nuclear power sector.
Lavrov and Zarif said they also discussed their joint initiative to broker a diplomatic resolution to Syria's civil war.
They reaffirmed that they both reject calls for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down from power.
"The Syrians must themselves decide their fate, their future, while foreign states should only make this easier," Zarif said. He said the only way to settle the Syrian crisis is political and that "we have a common view on this issue with the Russian Federation and this similarity of positions will continue."
COMMENTARY: Following JCPOA, the pace of international engagement with the IRI Foreign Ministry appears unprecedented. There also appears to be an unprecedented level of interaction with Iran towards resolving the Syrian conflict.

The Zarif-Lavrov press conference of 17AUG15 as it appeared live on monitors at Russian television studio control room

Iranian and Russian diplomatic delegations at the conference table on 17AUG15 in Moscow

While Iranian and Russian diplomats were expressing continued support for the Syrian Arab Republic, a MChS Rossii (Russia Ministry for Emergency Situations) Ilyushin Il-76TD "Candid" aircraft on 17AUG15 landed at Latakia - Bassel Al-Assad International Airport (LTK / OSLK) in Syria, bearing humanitarian relief supplies.

According to TASS, the Russian Ilyushin Il-76TD "Candid" aircraft delivered more than 20 tons of humanitarian cargo-- food products, including canned meat, fish and milk products, and daily necessities-- to the port city of Latakia in north-western Syria. The return flight took Russian citizens who wanted to leave the war-torn country back to Moscow alongside nationals of other former Soviet countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency, unidentified social media.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

next week the S-300 contract will be signed
Iran need new military air planes

Anonymous said...

Iran needs Mig 31s as we can not win an air battles in dogfights against American or European as they have better equipment and much better training. Using these airplanes with 20,000+ flight altitude and 3+ mach speed with 200 km range enhanced phase array radars and long range radar guided missiles can help Iranian pilots in BVR combat against intruders. 5 of these air crafts can cover 900 km wide area with data sharing facility so we can use them as air born radars as well.

Anonymous said...

Syria got 6 Mig 31s few days ago and 2 more are on the way. These planes will definitely cause troubles for Israeli pilots.

Anonymous said...

How come this "website" hasn't published yet that news about the S-300, when other agencies informed that Gen.Dehqhan had a press conference and informed about S-300 that four (battalions) systems will be supplied by Russia, and that they work currently on technical details........

+A

Anonymous said...

More "humanitarian aid" arrives in barrels.

Anonymous said...

The above article perhaps illustrates ,for the lack of better words, the sorry states of the affairs that is today's Syria . The above airport is only spitting distance away from port of Latakia and adjoining railway network where tonnes of humanitarian aid could be delivered with ease .The cost of flying that aircraft into a high risk zone is probably higher than seemingly few sacks of grains it delivered .
And if the news on Mig 31 purchase is true , what Syria is going to achieve with a handful of those airplanes ? if they are to be used against Israel , the Israelis will surely neutralize Syrian air force in no time .Lets hope that Syrian regime isn't that reckless or stupid .