Sputnik- Russia and Iran are teaming up to carry out a joint humanitarian operation in Aleppo aimed at helping Syrian civilians who escaped from the clutches of terrorists, advisor to Iran's Foreign Ministry Hossein Sheikholeslam told Sputnik. Still, a lot remain to be done to rescue residents being held hostage by Islamists.

Russia and Iran are developing a joint operation to�provide humanitarian aid in�Aleppo, after�the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) managed to�liberate most of�the Syrian city. "First of�all, I would like�to congratulate the residents of�Aleppo, which escaped from�the clutches of�ruthless terrorists," Hossein Sheikholeslam, the Iranian Foreign Minister's advisor, told Sputnik Persian, "Secondly, the Islamic Republic of�Iran considers it its duty to�the people of�Aleppo to�ensure that all needs of�those who managed to�survive and escape are met."

Sheikholeslam called attention to�the fact that Iran has repeatedly taken part in�humanitarian operations throughout�Syria in�close cooperation with�the Syrian government forces and Russia.

Likewise, he stressed, Tehran is now ready to�provide all necessary assistance and support to�residents of�Aleppo. "We are completely prepared to�carry out�this joint humanitarian operation together with�Russia, and we will use all our resources we have on�the frontline�� both military and financial. We will provide basic necessities, most notably clean drinking water, medical supplies, food, warm clothes [to Aleppo residents] and will also send our doctors and healthcare specialist [to the city]," Sheikholeslam emphasized.

According to�Farzad Ramzani-Bonesh, Iranian independent expert in�Middle Eastern affairs, the Russo-Iranian humanitarian operation in�Aleppo will become a high-profile event which will surely surprise the West and its Gulf allies.

"While speaking about�the joint Russo-Iranian operation aimed at�providing humanitarian aid to�the residents of�Aleppo, one should remember some important points. Over the past�two years, Western players and their Arab allies have been relentlessly accusing our countries [Russia and Iran] of�providing military assistance to�Bashar al-Assad on�all fronts, but�doing virtually nothing to�save the lives of�civilians caught up�in the blockade," Ramzani-Bonesh told Sputnik, stressing that these allegations were totally unfounded.

The Iranian expert emphasized that it had been largely neglected by�the Western media that besides�engaging in�counter-terrorism operations on�the ground Russia and Iran were taking every effort to�save Syrian civilians.

Given the fact that Daesh (ISIS/ISIL), al-Nusra Front and other extremists used the Syrians as "human shields" it was extremely difficult to�carry out�these rescue operations, Ramzani-Bonesh admitted.

"However, now that Assad's army has made significant progress [in Aleppo] with�the assistance of�its allies and liberated large areas [of the city], it's time for�Iran and Russia to�strike back in�response to�the information war waged by�Western and some Arabian mass media [against Russia and Iran] which falsely accused us of�inaction and unwillingness to�provide humanitarian aid to�Syrian civilians," Ramzani-Bonesh pointed out, referring to�the recent Russo-Iranian humanitarian initiative.

The Iranian expert highlighted that it is extremely important to�save those Aleppo residents who are still being used by�terrorists as "human shields" and ensure the safety of�humanitarian convoys heading to�Aleppo.

On Friday the Russian Ministry of�Defense reported that Russia has already delivered more than�5 metric tons of�humanitarian aid to�the Syrian provinces of�Aleppo and Damascus.

"Within the last 24 hours, two humanitarian events have been held, in�the course of�which civilians received aid: in�the Hananu 3 area of�the Aleppo city and al-Mahalej camp for�refugees in�the Aleppo province�� about�4 tons; in�the Seid Naya area in�the Damascus province�� about�one ton," the Russian Defense Ministry's official statement says.

Meanwhile, a Russian sapper unit has been deployed to�Syria to�conduct mine-clearing operations in�the city. Earlier this week Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov highlighted that the US, the UK, France and the UN have yet to�offer humanitarian assistance to�90,000 Aleppo residents liberated a few days ago.

Later, responding to�the UK's unfounded allegations regarding Moscow halting its humanitarian assistance to�Syrians in�Aleppo, Konashenkov reiterated Saturday that "all this time, residents of�eastern neighborhoods [in Aleppo] have been receiving daily humanitarian aid, medicine and warm clothing from�the Russian Center for�reconciliation and the Syrian government." "The United Kingdom, in�the course of�all the years of�civil war in�Syria has not allocated a single gram of�flour, a single pill or blanket to�help civilians," he added.