Iran and US: phantom allies in the war against IS

The two nations are far from being friends, but Iran’s bombing of IS points to ‘undeclared tolerance’

Columnist Robert Fox

Iranian F4 Phantom jets have been spotted bombing Islamic State positions in Diyala, eastern Iraq, over the past week – so much has been confirmed today by the US and the government of Qatar.

The US claims there has been no “coordination” between its forces and Iran – but it is inconceivable that the ancient but still capable Iranian fighter-bombers have not been operating without prior knowledge and tacit clearance by the local US command in the region.

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is a writer on Western defence issues and Italian current affairs. He has worked for the Corriere della Sera in Milan, covered the Falklands invasion for BBC Radio, and worked as defence correspondent for The Daily Telegraph. His books include The Inner Sea: the Mediterranean and its People.