Sep 22, 2015

Russia’s recent military buildup inside Syria to reportedly combat the Islamic State and help prop up the government of President Bashar al-Assad has caught many by surprise. Iranian officials have welcomed the move by Russia and said they will be working with them in both confronting terrorists and negotiating with Assad’s opposition.

Hossein-Amir Abdollahian, Iranian deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs who arrived in Moscow Sept 21, said on Sept. 22 that Russia and Iran will continue to negotiate with the Syrian opposition. Abdollahian, who is currently discussing regional issues with Russia, said the talks between Iran and Russia will continue at the UN General Assembly in New York.

Abdollahian said that both Iran and Russia will use their full potential to end the crisis in Syria. He denied that Iran has sent military advisers to Yemen, but said advisers were sent to Iraq and Syria at the request of those governments to combat terrorism.

It is not clear which opposition Iran and Russia are currently speaking with. There are a number of armed opposition groups, and there have been some negotiations for local cease-fires involving Iran and various opposition groups in the border town of Zabadani near Lebanon. The death toll from the civil war, now in its fourth year, exceeds 200,000 and has created millions of refugees.

Russia has reportedly brought 28 combat aircraft and 16 helicopters along with 2,000 forces to an air base in Syria, forcing the prospect that the United States and Russia will resume military relations in order to “deconflict” their air forces.