11 Dec 2017 22:20

Iran was not informed in advance of decision to start withdrawal of Russian Aerospace Force from Syria - Ushakov

ANKARA. Dec 11 (Interfax) - Iran as a participant in the Syrian crisis settlement process was not informed in advance of the Russian president's decision to start withdrawing troops from Syria, the presidential aide Yury Ushakov said.

"The president flew [to Syria] as the commander-in-chief. He has no obligation to inform anyone," Ushakov told journalists in Ankara, when asked by Interfax whether Iran had been informed of Vladimir Putin's decision as a guarantor of the Astana negotiation on Syria.

The president's visits to Egypt and Turkey had been planned before the decision to withdraw Russian troops, which was announced by Putin at the Hmeimim base in the morning, the Kremlin official said.