Russia did not supply Iran with a large batch of Su-35 fighters, which Tehran paid for in full and expected to receive in 2023, Bourse & Bazaar writes , citing sources familiar with the matter.
According to them, Tehran ordered 50 fighter jets from Moscow during the second presidential term of Hassan Rouhani, which ended in 2021. Then Russia promised to fulfill the contract in 2023. Now, however, no source among Iranian officials expects Moscow to keep its word.
The problems with the purchase of military equipment from Moscow became known from the statement of the commander of the Iranian Air Force, Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi. “As for the purchase of Su-35 fighters [from Russia], we need them, but we don’t know when they will enter our squadron,” Vahedi said in an interview with state television.
New fighter jets are needed by Tehran to renew the air force fleet, which mainly consists of American aircraft that were in service even before the 1979 revolution.
An Iranian security official expressed disappointment that Vahedi’s “inconsistent interview” had drawn attention to supply issues. Iranian officials are embarrassed by Russia’s failure to fulfill its obligations, but they consider the issue too sensitive for public discussion.
To speed up the supply of Su-35s, last year Iran agreed to transfer hundreds of drones to Russia for strikes on Ukrainian cities.
Iranian hardliners have “fallen into the trap” of seeing themselves as equal partners with Russia because “the Russians are queuing up to buy weapons from them,” the former diplomat said. The transfer of the drones has contributed to Iran’s political isolation, he said, giving Western officials the impression that cooperation between Moscow and Tehran is deepening amid the war.
One of the possible reasons for the delay in the delivery of the Su-35 is the influence of Israel, according to Iran. In June, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russian authorities that he was extremely concerned about Moscow’s growing military cooperation with Tehran, Axios wrote , citing several Israeli MPs. In turn, Israel has so far refused to supply Ukraine with offensive weapons systems, as well as the Iron Dome defensive system.
In 2022, Russia lost 68 aircraft in the war against Ukraine, and was able to put into service only 29, followed from the data of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST). Including seven new Su-35S were produced. At the same time, at least 30 new types of fighters were lost during the fighting – Su-30, Su-34 and Su-35.
Source : MOSCOWTIMES
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