Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Washington used hotline to keep communication with Moscow over Syria.
“My understanding is that the CJTFOIR commander has used the hotline that we have with Russia to ensure that we have open lines of communication given the fact that we do have forces operating in fairly close proximity as it relates geographically to Syria.
I won't go into details about those conversations other than we have that communication mechanism to prevent potential miscalculation. And again, we'll continue to communicate with countries throughout the region as we continue to monitor in this developing situation”, Rider said during a press briefing.
At the end of November, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the Washington-Moscow hotline, established after the Cuban Missile Crisis, is no longer used even in emergencies to maintain communication.
Tensions remain high in Syria. Reports indicate that government forces, with support from Russian troops, carried out strikes on militant positions in Aleppo and Idlib, eliminating dozens of militants.
The latest wave of escalation was discussed over the phone by the presidents of Syria and Iran. Masoud Pezeshkian assured that Tehran would continue to support Bashar al-Assad's administration.
"Protecting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity is a cornerstone of Tehran's regional strategy", said Iran's president. He added that negotiations have been conducted with regional leaders to resolve the current situation.
