Russia is defending its use of an Iranian air base to launch airstrikes against targets in Syria. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Russian fighter jets are using the Hamedan air base with Iran’s approval. He said the aircraft are supporting what he called “counter-terrorism” operations in Syria. Russia’s defense ministry said it started using the base this week to attack Islamic State positions in northern and eastern Syria. The defense ministry said the attacks also targeted Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the militant group formerly known as the al-Nusra Front. The United States is leading an international coalition against IS forces in Iraq and Syria. The coalition cleared the way for the Russian airplanes to pass over Iraq on their way from Iran to Syria. Coalition spokesman Chris Garver confirmed the flights. “They informed us they were coming through, and we insured safety of flight as those bombers passed through the area and toward their target.”
Title: Russia Defends Use of Iranian Base to Launch Syrian Airstrikes
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/iranian_base.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Russia Defends Use of Iranian Base to Launch Syrian Airstrikes' data-article-id='1803'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='489'>Russia is defending its use of an Iranian air base to launch airstrikes against targets in Syria.</span> <span data-start-time='489' data-end-time='1076'>Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Russian fighter jets are using the Hamedan air base with Iran’s approval.</span> <span data-start-time='1076' data-end-time='1536'>He said the aircraft are supporting what he called “counter-terrorism” operations in Syria.</span> <span data-start-time='1536' data-end-time='2136'>Russia’s defense ministry said it started using the base this week to attack Islamic State positions in northern and eastern Syria.</span> <span data-start-time='2136' data-end-time='2775'>The defense ministry said the attacks also targeted Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the militant group formerly known as the al-Nusra Front.</span> <span data-start-time='2775' data-end-time='3237'>The United States is leading an international coalition against IS forces in Iraq and Syria.</span> <span data-start-time='3237' data-end-time='3719'>The coalition cleared the way for the Russian airplanes to pass over Iraq on their way from Iran to Syria.</span> <span data-start-time='3719' data-end-time='3992'>Coalition spokesman Chris Garver confirmed the flights.</span> <span data-start-time='3992' data-end-time='4412'>“They informed us they were coming through, and we insured safety of flight as those bombers passed through the area and toward their target.”</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/iranian_base.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=6985 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/what_does_airstrike_mean.m4a'>What does airstrike mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='an attack made by aircraft'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/how_exact_or_correct_something_is.m4a'><span>how exact or correct something is</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/the_end_of_something_happening.m4a'><span>the end of something happening</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/an_attack_made_by_aircraft.m4a'><span>an attack made by aircraft</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/unlucky.m4a'><span>unlucky</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=6986 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/what_country_was_russia_attacking_using_airstrikes.m4a'>What country was Russia attacking using airstrikes?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Syria'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/france.m4a'><span>France</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/united_states.m4a'><span>United States</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/syria.m4a'><span>Syria</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/egypt.m4a'><span>Egypt</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=6987 data-hint-location='1076' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/_blank__are_supporting_counterterrorism_operations_in_syria.m4a'><span class='blank'>aircraft</span> are supporting counter-terrorism operations in Syria.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='aircraft'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/tanks.m4a'><span>tanks</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/trucks.m4a'><span>trucks</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/aircraft.m4a'><span>aircraft</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1294/boats.m4a'><span>boats</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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