Iran skirts sanctions to secretly acquire Boeing jets for Mahan Air

Iran has once again circumvented international sanctions to obtain Western-built aircraft, with five Boeing 777-200ER jets recently transferred to the country under opaque and indirect arrangements, according to a report by Simple Flying.

Current restrictions prohibit Iran from purchasing aircraft that contain US-made components—effectively barring access to Boeing jets and most Airbus models.

Nevertheless, Iran has previously managed to acquire commercial aircraft through untraceable delivery routes and obscure registration practices.

The newly acquired aircraft are believed to be destined for Mahan Air, an Iranian airline that remains under US sanctions and is widely believed to be linked to Iranian state operations. Data from Planespotters.net indicates that Mahan Air is preparing to receive five Boeing 777-200ERs originally delivered to Singapore Airlines between 2001 and 2003. These aircraft served with Singapore Airlines until their retirement in 2018–2019, after which they were transferred to NokScoot, a Thai low-cost carrier and subsidiary of Scoot, which has since ceased operations.

After NokScoot’s closure, the jets remained inactive in storage until May 2025, when they were reactivated for what appears to be a covert transfer to Iran. All five aircraft were kept at Cambodia’s Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SIA) between July 4 and July 15. One of the jets, bearing the registration 5R-HER, departed Siem Reap on July 15 and is now stored at Mashhad International Airport (MHD) in Iran, according to Flightradar24 tracking data.

During its ferry flight, the aircraft’s ADS-B transponder was intentionally switched off while flying over Afghanistan, making the remainder of its route untraceable. This tactic — cutting transponder signals to evade detection — has been used in previous aircraft transfers to Iran, typically resulting in the aircraft reappearing once within Iranian airspace.

The United States has long maintained stringent sanctions aimed at blocking Iran’s ability to procure commercial aircraft. These measures specifically prohibit the sale of aircraft with more than 10% US-manufactured components, a rule that effectively restricts deliveries of both Boeing and most Airbus jets.

As a result, Iran’s civil aviation fleet has significantly deteriorated over the years. With limited access to spare parts and internationally certified maintenance, the country’s aircraft have aged rapidly. Authorities have estimated that fewer than 200 of Iran’s approximately 330 registered aircraft were operational as of last year.

A brief opportunity to modernise the fleet emerged in 2016, following the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). During that period, Iran placed multi-billion-dollar orders with Boeing, Airbus, and ATR. However, only a limited number of aircraft were delivered before sanctions were reinstated in 2018.

Since then, Iran has continued to expand and maintain its fleet through indirect means, including re-registration of aircraft, use of opaque ownership chains, and the execution of off-radar ferry flights. These efforts have allowed the country to bypass international enforcement, enabling sanctioned carriers such as Mahan Air to acquire new jets despite ongoing restrictions.

By Tamilla Hasanova