Russian news agencies said Iran has granted permission for Russian planes to fly over its territory en route to Syria, providing Moscow a bypass needed after Bulgaria refused overflights followings signs of a Russian military buildup in Syria that has raised grave concerns with the U.S. and NATO.
The news agencies quoted Maxim Suslov, spokesman for the Russian Embassy in Tehran, as saying it has received Iranian permission for Syria-bound flights. After Bulgaria rejected Moscow’s overflight request for Sept. 1-24, a path via Iran and Iraq appeared to be the only one left, as Russia apparently sought to avoid flying over Turkey, which in 2012 grounded a Syria-bound plane carrying radar parts from Moscow.
The controversy over the Russian flights comes amid signs of increased Russian military presence in Syria. Moscow, which has backed Bashar Assad throughout the nation’s 4½-year civil war, said its military experts are in the country to train its military to use Russian weapons.
U.S. and its allies have seen Assad as the cause of the Syrian crisis, and Washington has warned Moscow against beefing up its presence.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday for a second time in five days. U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said Kerry “reiterated our concern about these reports of Russia military buildup,” adding if they are true, it could lead “lead to greater violence and even more instability” in Syria.
Indicating a continuing rift, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Lavrov on the call emphasized Syrian government troops’ role in confronting extremist groups and the need to take consolidated action.
On Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also said the alliance is concerned about reports over Russia’s increased military presence in Syria. He didn’t offer details.