A message to Israel? The advanced fighter jet that Iran is expected to receive very soon

Media in Iran reported this morning (Friday) that the Islamic Republic is expected to soon receive advanced fighter jets of the Sukhoi-35 type made in Russia. According to the report, it is possible that the planes will arrive as early as next week. Tehran reported that the aircraft that will arrive can carry air-to-air, air-to-ground missiles and anti-ship and radar missiles. The maximum flight range of the aircraft is up to 3,600 km, and it has a maximum speed of 2,500 km/h.

Last February, it was reported in the US that since September 2022, Iranian military and political officials have publicly published the estimated purchase deal for the 24 aircraft of this model, but Russia never approved the deal . On February 7, Iran revealed a new underground base , in a propaganda video of the Air Force. In the video there was a clue hidden in plain sight – silhouettes of fighter planes, where one of the planes was particularly prominent. The plane was located in the front and was built in the form of the Sukhoi-35.

The Russian Sukhoi 35 model aircraft (Photo: Reuters)

After the video was released, a former US security official explained that after analyzing it, "we identified two models of fighter jets, including one that matches the dimensions of the Sukhoi 35." According to him, "it is likely that Iran will use the underground facility to store the plane and the other planes Let them come from Russia."

As mentioned, the strategic relationship between Iran and Russia has strengthened since the war in Ukraine began. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year that Russia and Iran are advancing plans to establish a new factory for the production of drones on Russian soil. This, after Tehran supplied Moscow with Shahad-136 suicide drones. According to the report, this is a factory that will be able to produce at least 6,000 Iranian-designed drones. According to the sources cited in the American media, a high-level Iranian delegation landed in Russia in early January to visit the site where the factory is planned to be built, in order to finalize the final details before the project is implemented.