Iran allowed Russian warplanes to take off from its territory to strike opposition targets in Syria. "The Russians are showing they have options in Syria while they have Washington over a barrel on Aleppo," said Andrew Tabler, a Syria expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Flying missions out of Iran wouldn't appear to provide an advantage, though Russian officials said it enables heavier loads and lower costs. Russia maintains significant numbers of combat aircraft inside Syria, and it has flown long-range bomber missions from southern Russia. The State Department's Toner said the Russian cooperation with Iran doesn't preclude the possibility of a U.S.-Russian partnership in Syria.

Source: Fox News August 17, 2016 08:15 UTC