Tehran -

After decades of Iranian specialists' devotion to developing various types of weapons, especially drones and ballistic missiles, Tehran bought Sukhoi-35 fighters from Russia, after the production of advanced fighters had eluded its military industries.

And just a week after Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani confirmed his country's intention to acquire Russian fighter jets to enhance its defense force, the Iranian permanent mission to the United Nations announced, on Friday, that Tehran had already concluded a contract for the purchase of Russian "Sukhoi-35" combat aircraft. .

The Iranian mission in New York stated that the deal took place after the restrictions imposed on Tehran to purchase conventional weapons ended in October 2020, in accordance with UN Resolution 2231, but it declined to give more information about the number of fighters to be delivered to Iran and the date of the deal's implementation. to ensure confidentiality of private information.

The Iranian army is preparing to receive the Russian "Sukhoi-35" aircraft, without specifying a date (Iranian press)

Iranian reservation

The Iranian mission to the United Nations is reticent to disclose the date of the arrival of the Russian fighters to Iran, following Western reports based on drawings that appeared in a video clip published by the Iranian Armed Forces of the underground "Oqab 44" air base, where the aircraft's drawings resemble the design of the "Sukhoi-35" aircraft. .

The New York Times reported in an analytical report that Russian fighters may have already arrived in Iran, and linked this to satellite images that show the stability of combat aircraft at an air base inside Iran that Tehran did not have before.

On the other hand, Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani denied, last week, that his country had received any of the "Sukhoi-35" fighter equipment so far, while a member of the National Security Committee in the Iranian parliament, Shahriar Heidari, had revealed last February that Tehran The Russian fighters will be received at the beginning of the next Iranian year (starting on March 21).


Strategic advantages

For his part, the Iranian researcher in military affairs, Muhammad Mahdi Yazdi, describes the talk about his country's possession of advanced Russian fighters as "new and old" years ago, explaining that the end of the restrictions imposed on Tehran to purchase conventional weapons has accelerated the pace of military cooperation between Iran and Russia.

Speaking to Al-Jazeera Net, Yazdi explained that the Air Force in the Iranian army seeks to diversify its military equipment from the industries of the western and eastern powers, in addition to the national industries.

He explained that his country had engaged in serious negotiations with the Russian side to purchase "Sukhoi-30" fighters during the past years, but it found the advantages of the "Sukhoi-35" model commensurate with its plans to enhance its air capabilities.

Yazdi stressed that the Sukhoi-35 has strategic advantages that make the Iranian armament system integrated to face potential threats, and summarized the most prominent characteristics of the Russian fighter as follows:

  • Enjoying great offensive capabilities comparable to Western models, especially American fighters.

  • Enjoying specifications close to the fifth generation and the ability to detect enemy aircraft from a long distance.

  • Providing it with air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles and anti-ship missiles.

  • Equipped with the advanced "Khibiny-M" electronic warfare system and has superior maneuverability.

  • The ability to fly at supersonic speed.

  • The ability to detect 30 targets and engage 8 of them simultaneously.

Yazdi concluded that his country views its military armament as an integrated system and does not count on one model alone in case the country is targeted militarily, stressing that the "Sukhoi-35" fighter, if it reaches Iranian territory, will take on specific tasks alongside other military systems. .

Researchers believe that Iran's efforts to acquire Russian weapons come in the context of balancing power in the region (Iranian press)

Balancing forces

In turn, the researcher in military affairs, Muhammad Mahdi Melki, reads his country's efforts to acquire Russian weapons in the context of balancing power in the region, stressing that in light of the increasing cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, "it is not surprising that the two sides will meet the needs of the other side militarily."

Malaki considers that his country's armament of fighters has not developed along the lines of drones and missiles, adding that providing the Iranian army with "Sukhoi-35" fighters will make a quantum leap in enhancing its air capabilities.

And whether Iran will receive the "Sukhoi-35" aircraft at the "Oqab 44" air base, which was unveiled last February, Malki said that this base is only one of the bases spread across Iran's geography, adding that Tehran is taking a strategy to neutralize potential threats to the country. Such as fortifying its nuclear facilities under the mountains, and thus it will distribute the imported fighters in several bases far from the other.

It should be noted that Iran's fleet of warplanes is dominated by Russian "MIG" and "Sukhoi" aircraft dating back to the Soviet era, as well as Chinese warplanes, including the "F-7" (F- 7), in addition to some American "F-4" and "F-5" combat aircraft that Tehran bought before the Iranian revolution in 1979.