Iran considers purchasing Russian tanker aircraft: why Tehran wants to expand its aviation capabilities

In Russian media, information appeared about a possible purchase by Iran of Russian tanker aircraft. According to available reports, the Iranian Air Force is considering acquiring such machines to expand the capabilities of refueling combat aviation directly in the air. This will allow fighters to perform longer flights and operate at a significant distance from their own airfields.

Author: Alexander Khmelnitsky

There is no official confirmation of the contract conclusion yet. The proposed number of aircraft, cost, and delivery timelines are unknown. Iranian official sources as of September 27, 2026, have also not provided details of the possible deal.

However, this story has a quite specific background. And it’s not just about Russian aircraft.

Russia has already announced export contracts for the Il-78

On September 7, 2026, the general director of Rosoboronexport, Alexander Mikheev, stated that the company’s portfolio, exceeding 60 billion dollars, includes contracts for new Il-78MK-90A tanker aircraft.

The statement was made before the El Alamein International Airshow in Egypt. At the same time, the Russian side did not disclose the buyers, so directly linking the announced contracts with Tehran is premature.

Source: Interfax, September 7, 2026.

Back in August, footage of the new Il-78MK-90A, presumably manufactured for a foreign customer, appeared in Russian social networks. Among the potential buyers, China and Algeria were mentioned at the time, and Iran was mentioned as another potential client.

The publication Defense Express on August 24 drew attention to the absence of Russian state symbols and the unusual three-digit tail number of the aircraft. These details indicated a possible export designation of the machine but did not allow establishing its future owner.

What Iran might get

The Il-78MK-90A is an export modification of the new Russian tanker aircraft, created based on the heavy military transport Il-76MD-90A.

It is equipped with four PS-90A-76 engines, modern digital avionics, and three refueling units. The machine can simultaneously service two fighters or one large military aircraft. The maximum takeoff weight is about 210 tons, and the amount of fuel transferred depends on the range and flight conditions.

If necessary, the Il-78 can also be used as a transport aircraft after removing special equipment.

Source: United Aircraft Corporation.

The practical significance of such equipment is quite simple. A fighter does not need to return to base just because it is running out of fuel. It can continue patrolling, change its route, or make a longer flight.

For a country with a large territory like Iran, this is especially significant. But why has the issue arisen right now?

Israel has already struck Iranian tanker aircraft

Iran used aerial tankers long before the current reports. Even under the Shah, before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the country received American Boeing 707 and Boeing 747, some of which were equipped for refueling combat aviation.

After breaking relations with Washington, servicing American equipment became increasingly difficult. Despite this, individual aircraft continued to be used for decades.

On June 15, 2025, during an Israeli operation against Iran, the Israeli Air Force struck the airport of Mashhad — a major city in the northeast of the country, approximately 2300 kilometers from Israel. The IDF reported the destruction of a tanker aircraft located there.

But the story did not end there.

On March 6, 2026, military and logistical facilities at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran came under Israeli attack. The Persian-language fact-checking project Factnameh later studied satellite images and concluded that several transport and tanker aircraft were damaged or destroyed.

Researchers separately established that at least one Boeing 707, equipped for refueling, survived the attack. So, it would be incorrect to talk about the complete destruction of the Iranian tanker fleet.

Source: Factnameh, March 10, 2026.

Against this background, the possible purchase of Russian machines looks not only as a way to modernize the Air Force but also as an attempt to restore lost capabilities.

What does this have to do with Russian Su-35s

There is another significant factor — Russian fighters.

On January 27, 2025, senior Iranian military official Ali Shadmani confirmed the acquisition of Su-35s. Reuters then clarified that the number of aircraft and the fact of their delivery were not officially disclosed.

NANews previously detailed this deal and the Russian-Iranian strategic partnership.

Now a quite logical question arises: why purchase modern fighters if not to create the appropriate infrastructure for them?

The Su-35 is capable of refueling in the air. The Russian Il-78 is designed to service aircraft of this family. Their joint use potentially allows the Iranian Air Force to increase patrol duration and conduct more complex operations away from permanent bases.

At the same time, the purchase of tankers alone does not yet create a full-fledged aviation system. Trained crews, maintenance, spare parts, compatible equipment, and protection of sufficiently vulnerable large aircraft will be required.

For Israel, the difference is fundamental. It’s one thing to restore a few old machines. It’s another to create an infrastructure that allows modern Iranian fighters to operate for extended periods without landing.

NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency considers the possible purchase in this context: Tehran is interested not just in new aircraft, but in expanding the practical capabilities of its military aviation.

Russian-Iranian cooperation: connection with the war in Ukraine

Behind this story lies a broader process.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Tehran became one of the suppliers of drone technologies for Moscow. Russia established its own production of strike devices of the “Geran” family, based on Iranian Shahed, and continued their modernization.

Today, military-technical cooperation is developing in both directions. We have detailed how the war in Ukraine linked Russian and Iranian military developments.

On September 20, 2026, Fox News published information from a 44-page Russian document on cooperation with Iran for 2024–2026. Among the planned directions are the production of Russian aviation components at Iranian enterprises and the development of joint industrial infrastructure.

The document does not confirm a contract for tanker aircraft. But it shows that aviation cooperation between Moscow and Tehran was considered a long-term project.

For Ukraine, this means the need to consider not only the supply of Iranian technologies to Russia but also the possible movement of Russian military technologies in the opposite direction. Especially if it concerns aviation, weapons, and systems for long-range operations.

What is known about the possible deal as of today

Talks about Russian tankers for Iran have arisen before. In July 2015, the Iranian agency Tasnim retold a report from the Israeli DEBKA about a supposed order for the Il-78. However, confirmation of that purchase did not subsequently appear.

The current situation differs by the presence of a specific Russian statement from September 7, 2026, about export contracts for the Il-78MK-90A.

Nevertheless, the customers have not been officially named.

Several options for further developments are possible: Iran may limit itself to studying the proposal, the parties may announce a contract, or reports of interest may remain at the level of preliminary discussions. So far, none of these options can be considered an established result.

For the Israeli audience, the direction of the possible purchase is important. After the loss of American Boeings, which had provided Iranian aviation for decades, Tehran is considering the possibility of acquiring new-generation Russian machines. Combined with the acquisition of the Su-35, this could be part of the restoration and modernization of the Air Force.

The actual appearance of tankers in service, their number, and readiness for operation will determine the real scale of changes.