(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Iran has formally confirmed the arrival of Russian MiG-29 fighter jets, a development that signals Tehran’s determination to modernize its air force despite decades of sanctions and regional isolation.

The announcement came from Abulfazl Zohrevand, a member of Iran’s Parliament and the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, who described the delivery as a “short-term solution” while Tehran awaits the arrival of more advanced platforms such as Russia’s Su-35 fighters and China’s HQ-9 long-range surface-to-air missile systems.

His remarks, made in September 2025, underscore a broader military pivot by Iran that includes not only Russian aircraft but also advanced air defense systems from both Russia and China, placing Tehran firmly within the orbit of Moscow and Beijing’s expanding defense networks.

Zohrevand revealed that the MiG-29s are already operationally stationed at Shiraz, one of Iran’s most strategic air bases, tasked with defending the Islamic Republic’s central and southern regions against potential Israeli or U.S. incursions.

At the same time, he insisted that Su-35 deliveries would continue gradually, describing the Flanker-E as the backbone of Iran’s future air power, while also stressing that these deliveries were “progressing extensively” despite earlier doubts raised about the deal’s viability.

Equally significant, Zohrevand confirmed that the HQ-9, China’s flagship long-range SAM system, is already being delivered in “large quantities,” reinforcing Iran’s layered defense network and highlighting Beijing’s expanding role in strengthening Tehran’s military posture.

The acquisitions come on the heels of Israel’s intensified strike campaigns against Iranian targets in Syria and recent cross-border clashes, highlighting Tehran’s urgency to strengthen its deterrence posture and ensure its air defense architecture can withstand high-intensity conflict scenarios.

Analysts point out that the parallel delivery of MiG-29s and HQ-9 systems provides Iran with an integrated short-to-long-range defensive shield, allowing Tehran to complicate adversary strike planning and extend its radar surveillance deep into contested airspace.

The progression of Su-35 deliveries, if sustained, would mark Iran’s most significant leap in airpower since the 1979 Revolution, granting it multirole combat aircraft capable of challenging Israeli and Gulf air forces across both defensive and offensive missions.

By tying its modernization drive simultaneously to Moscow and Beijing, Iran is effectively creating a dual-sourced supply line that reduces its vulnerability to geopolitical pressure from any single partner while signaling its intent to anchor itself firmly within a Eurasian defense axis.

Historical Context of Iran’s Air Force

Iran’s Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) has long been an unusual mix of pre-1979 U.S.-supplied aircraft, Soviet-era platforms, and improvised upgrades.

Legacy U.S. aircraft such as the F-14 Tomcat, F-4 Phantom II, and F-5 Tiger II remain in service, despite being more than half a century old, thanks to a combination of reverse engineering, cannibalization of spare parts, and clandestine procurement.

The MiG-29, a twin-engine, fourth-generation Soviet fighter, was first introduced into Iran’s arsenal in 1990 when Tehran received two dozen Fulcrums from the collapsing Soviet Union.

The Gulf War in 1991 brought an unexpected bonus when several Iraqi Air Force MiG-29s defected to Iran to avoid destruction by coalition air strikes, bolstering Tehran’s fleet.

Since then, Iran’s MiG-29s have been deployed primarily for point-defense missions, including the protection of critical facilities in Tehran, Natanz, and Bushehr, despite their increasingly dated avionics and limited beyond-visual-range capabilities.

The latest transfer of MiG-29s from Russia—while not game-changing—represents a critical stopgap measure to sustain Iran’s frontline fighter numbers as it waits for deliveries of far more capable Su-35 multirole fighters.

Technical Analysis of the MiG-29

The MiG-29 Fulcrum remains a capable fourth-generation air superiority fighter, albeit one considered technologically obsolete when compared to fifth-generation platforms like the American F-35 Lightning II or Israel’s stealthy F-35I “Adir.”

Powered by twin Klimov RD-33 turbofan engines, the aircraft can achieve speeds of Mach 2.25 and a combat radius of roughly 700 km without external fuel tanks.

Its avionics, however, are considered outdated by modern standards, with early variants fielding mechanically scanned radars that lack the multi-target engagement capacity of active electronically scanned array (AESA) systems.

To mitigate these shortcomings, Russian defense sources suggest that some of the transferred MiG-29s may be upgraded to the MiG-29SMT standard, featuring enhanced Zhuk-ME radar, improved range, and compatibility with precision-guided munitions.

If confirmed, these upgrades would significantly improve Iran’s ability to conduct air-to-air combat against adversaries such as Israeli F-16Is and even engage drones and cruise missiles that frequently penetrate Iranian airspace.

Yet despite these enhancements, the Fulcrum is still regarded as a bridging solution, incapable of matching the qualitative edge of Israeli or Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) aircraft such as the F-15EX, Eurofighter Typhoon, or Dassault Rafale.

The Su-35 Factor: A Game-Changer in the Skies

While the MiG-29 delivery fills immediate gaps, the Su-35 Flanker-E deal represents Iran’s true leap forward in aerial warfare capability.

The Su-35 is widely regarded as one of the most advanced 4.5-generation fighters in the world, boasting thrust-vectoring engines, a range exceeding 3,500 km, and advanced Irbis-E radar capable of tracking stealth aircraft at extended ranges.

Iran has pursued the Su-35 since at least 2023, and by January 2025, senior Iranian commanders confirmed that the jets were indeed on order.

Complications soon arose, however, with reports suggesting that aircraft originally earmarked for Iran—after a failed Egyptian deal—were redirected to Algeria, raising doubts about Moscow’s willingness to prioritize Tehran’s needs.

Iranian officials even hinted at considering the Chinese J-10C as an alternative, sparking speculation of a potential Beijing-Tehran fighter jet deal.

Zohrevand’s recent confirmation that Su-35 deliveries are “progressing extensively” suggests that Moscow has recommitted to the contract, potentially underpinned by Russia’s growing reliance on Iranian drones in Ukraine.

Analysts believe Iran could eventually receive 24 to 36 Su-35s, a fleet size that would dramatically alter the regional balance by providing Tehran with an aircraft capable of challenging Israeli and Gulf fighters head-on.

READ: Sukhoi Su-35 Fighter Jets to Enter Service with Iranian Air Force This Year

Air Defense Reinforcement: HQ-9 and S-400 Systems

Equally critical to Iran’s defense modernization is the reinforcement of its surface-to-air missile (SAM) network with Chinese and Russian systems.

Zohrevand confirmed that the HQ-9, China’s flagship long-range SAM, is being delivered in “large quantities,” supplementing Iran’s domestically produced Bavar-373 and Russian-supplied S-300PMU-2 systems.

The HQ-9, modeled heavily on the Russian S-300, offers an engagement envelope of over 200 km, capable of intercepting aircraft, drones, and even some classes of ballistic missiles.

Iran accelerated procurement of the HQ-9 following Israeli strikes in 2025 that revealed critical vulnerabilities in its layered defense systems.

In parallel, Tehran is expecting deliveries of the Russian S-400 Triumf, one of the world’s most formidable SAM systems, with a range of 400 km and the ability to track and engage multiple targets simultaneously.

The integration of both HQ-9 and S-400 into Iran’s air defense network would create a formidable anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) umbrella across key strategic sites, complicating potential Israeli or U.S. strike plans.

If deployed effectively, Iran could make its skies among the most dangerous in the Middle East for hostile aircraft, forcing adversaries to rely on standoff munitions and cyber warfare rather than direct air incursions.

Geopolitical and Strategic Implications

Iran’s acquisitions cannot be divorced from the broader geopolitical chessboard in the Middle East.

The 12-day conflict with Israel in June 2025 underscored Tehran’s vulnerability to precision airstrikes and missile barrages, accelerating its urgency to obtain modern fighters and advanced SAMs.

For Israel, the presence of MiG-29s in Shiraz and the impending arrival of Su-35s represent a significant escalation, compelling the Israeli Air Force to expand its training and strike planning against Russian-origin systems.

The U.S. and its regional allies, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, view these developments as destabilizing, with Washington considering fresh sanctions on Russian and Chinese defense entities involved in arming Iran.

Beijing’s role in supplying the HQ-9 also illustrates China’s deepening footprint in the Middle East, part of its broader Belt and Road Initiative strategy that fuses economic influence with arms sales.

Meanwhile, Russia’s willingness to proceed with Su-35 deliveries reflects Moscow’s pivot to Tehran as a vital partner in circumventing Western isolation over its war in Ukraine.

This triangular defense cooperation—Moscow, Beijing, Tehran—could reshape the Middle East’s security landscape, potentially reducing U.S. dominance while increasing the risks of proxy confrontations.

Regional Military Balance

Iran’s modernization drive is reshaping the balance of power in a region already saturated with advanced weaponry.

Israel operates a fleet of F-35I Adirs, giving it a clear stealth advantage, while also fielding upgraded F-16Is and F-15Is equipped with long-range precision weapons.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE, for their part, operate Eurofighter Typhoons, F-15SA, and F-16E/F Block 60 fighters, maintaining qualitative superiority over Iran’s current fleet.

However, the arrival of Su-35s—combined with a layered defense of HQ-9 and S-400 systems—would narrow the gap, forcing Israel and the Gulf states to adapt to a more contested aerial environment.

Iran’s strategy is not to achieve outright parity but to raise the cost of potential aggression by adversaries, creating deterrence through denial rather than dominance.

This mirrors strategies pursued by other sanctioned states such as North Korea, which rely on asymmetric systems to offset conventional disadvantages.

READ: Tehran Bolsters Air Defences with China’s HQ-9B: Strategic Gamechanger After Israel Clash

Weapons System Overview Table

System	Origin	Type	Status (as of Sept 2025)	Key Capabilities
MiG-29	Russia	Fighter Jet	Delivered (short-term)	Air superiority, Mach 2+, upgraded radar potential
Su-35	Russia	Multirole Fighter	Ongoing deliveries	Supermaneuverable, 3,500 km range, Irbis-E radar
HQ-9	China	SAM System	Being supplied	200+ km range, aircraft/missile/drone intercept
S-400	Russia	SAM System	Awaiting delivery	400 km range, multi-target engagement, stealth detection

Conclusion

Iran’s receipt of MiG-29 fighters from Russia marks only the beginning of a sweeping modernization effort that includes the acquisition of Su-35s, HQ-9 SAMs, and the S-400 Triumf.

While the MiG-29s serve as an immediate stopgap, the Su-35s promise to transform Iran’s air combat capabilities and shift the regional aerial balance.

The HQ-9 and S-400 systems will further harden Iranian airspace, creating a dense A2/AD bubble designed to deter Israeli and American incursions.

Together, these acquisitions underline Tehran’s deepening alignment with Moscow and Beijing, signaling a new axis of cooperation that challenges U.S. strategic dominance in the Middle East.

The result is a more volatile and militarized regional environment, one where miscalculation could trigger escalations with global repercussions.

As deliveries continue into 2026, the eyes of the international community will remain fixed on Iran, watching closely how its new arsenal reshapes both deterrence and danger in the Middle East.

This transformation also signals the end of Iran’s decades-long dependence on outdated Western aircraft, cementing its pivot to Eurasian defense suppliers and embedding itself deeper into anti-Western security frameworks.

Regional actors such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are likely to respond with accelerated procurement of advanced Western systems, fueling a new Middle Eastern arms race centered on long-range strike and counter-strike capabilities.

For Russia and China, Iran’s growing reliance not only provides lucrative defense contracts but also expands their geopolitical influence along one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, the Persian Gulf.

Ultimately, Iran’s modernization drive highlights a fundamental recalibration of the Middle Eastern security architecture, one that will force adversaries and allies alike to reconsider their long-term military strategies. — DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA