Iran confirms Su-35 purchase: fighter jets will arrive only after the war

A spokesman for the Iranian army said that Tehran has completed the purchase of Russian Su-35 fighter jets, but will receive them only after the war with the United States ends.

Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia told the Iranian news website Tabnak about this on Saturday, October 31.

According to Akraminia, the contracts were signed and pilot training was completed before the war began, and the aircraft were supposed to arrive before the start of hostilities. He did not name the number of fighter jets, the value of the contract, or the delivery timeline.

His words are the most direct official confirmation of a deal that Iranian media have been discussing for more than a year. Moreover, it means that the Iranian Air Force will not have new fighter jets if the strikes resume. The war began in February with strikes by the United States and Israel.

“We have already carried out all the necessary preparatory work, including the procurement procedures and the signing of contracts,” Akraminia said, adding that pilot training “was also completed.”

“In fact, these aircraft were supposed to arrive before the war. If it is God’s will, we will certainly receive them after the war and modernize our air fleet.”

He did not explain why the fighter jets never arrived, and did not name Russia. Russia is the only recognized manufacturer of the Su-35.

Reports of his position differ. The Jerusalem Post and Middle East Eye called him a representative of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while other outlets described him as a representative of the regular army. According to him, the procurement was handled by structures outside the army. Akraminia also said that Iran is working on onboard radars, satellites and fifth-generation fighter jets, and plans to acquire AWACS-type aircraft.

Tunisian radio station Mosaïque FM reported a deal for 48 aircraft, but in other retellings of the interview he did not mention any figures. Clash Report found no comment from the Russian side and noted that neither Tehran nor Moscow has published details about the deliveries. It also cited open-source reports: 19–20 Su-35 fighter jets built for Iran were ready by July and are still in Russia. Persian-language outlets emphasized that not a single aircraft has arrived so far.

When the war will end is unclear. Negotiations have reached a dead end despite a memorandum of understanding signed in June. On November 1, Qatari mediators held a third day of talks with Iranian representatives. President Donald Trump said on October 31 that the United States is “not in much of a hurry” because “we wiped out their air force.” Akraminia warned that any new war “could last longer than the previous conflict.”