Analysis
Is Iran’s purchase of Russian Su-35 jets game changer as tensions brew with Israel?
Iran likely hopes its recent purchase of Su-35 fighter jets from Russia will revitalize its aging air force as tensions escalate with militarily superior Israel.
TEHRAN — A senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Brig. Gen. Ali Shadmani, announced Tehran's long-awaited acquisition of Russian Su-35 fighter jets in a speech this week.
While the number of the jets remains undisclosed, the purchase underscores Iran's determination to revamp its aging air fleet and address its air defense vulnerabilities.
But the deliveries go beyond military upgrades, as the Islamic Republic hopes they will fundamentally alter its strategic posture along with a message to its top enemy, Israel, and to a lesser extent to its regional Arab rivals.
Why does Iran need the aircraft?
