Iran Might Receive Its First Su-35 Flanker Fighters From Russia Next Week
Paul Iddon Senior Contributor I write mostly about Middle East affairs, politics and history.
A screen grab captured from a video shows Russian President Vladimir Putin's plane accompanied by ... [+]
Iran might receive its long-awaited Su-35 Flanker fighter jets from Russia as soon as next week, according to several reports appearing in Iran’s state-run media on Saturday. If true, a delivery in this timeframe could prove highly significant since it coincides with the highest tensions between Israel and the Islamic Republic since the latter’s inception.
According to reports in Iranian media on Saturday, the first shipment of Su-35s is due to arrive in Tehran next week. None of these reports specified how many fighters are expected in this shipment. It is widely believed Iran will receive at least 24 fighters in total.
(A report by an Iranian journalist last summer revealed Iran had ordered and paid for 50 Su-35s back in 2021, although it’s unclear if Russia could deliver that many anytime soon considering the severe restraints imposed by its war against Ukraine.)
Interestingly, Saturday’s Iranian media reports quoted a previous report in Kuwait’s Arabic Al-Jarida newspaper last week. That report claimed Iran received a number of Su-35s last year, but Russia did not provide adequate electronic and spare parts, limiting their overall utility for Iran.
Russia, the report added, delayed delivering these parts under pressure from Israel and the Arab Gulf countries. Now, amidst heightened tensions with Israel, Iran “desperately” requires these parts to get the maximum capability out of these Russian fighters to defend its airspace against Israeli incursions.
One should take these reports with a grain of salt, especially the Al-Jarida claims. For one, there is no visual confirmation, neither photographs nor satellite imagery, that Iran has taken delivery of any Su-35s, which are huge for fighter aircraft. Satellite imagery taken in 2023 did show a full-scale Su-35 mockup outside an underground Iranian airbase.
