Iran Air Force unaffected by sanctions: Russia general

Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Viktor Bondarev says the ability of the Iranian Air Force to manufacture spare parts, equipment and hardware necessary for military aircraft attests to the ineffectiveness of US-led sanctions on the military force.

Bondarev said on Tuesday he has reached this conclusion after visiting two Iran Air Force bases and Shahid Sattari University of Aeronautical Engineering.

He added that Iran Air Force pilots enjoy high level of preparedness.

Training of Iranian Air Force pilots is being conducted very well, in a way that the pilots can fly the planes after the end of training, the Russian commander pointed out.

He also praised the three-plane formation flying performed by Iranian F-7 and F-14 fighter jets, noting that such aerial shows require exceptional and constant training and that the performance exhibited the excellence and high quality of training.

Bondarev also expressed surprise with the overhaul of fighter and transport planes by Iranian technicians.

Bondarev arrived in Iran on October 20 to hold talks with senior Iranian military officials.

He travelled to Iran for a four-day visit at the invitation of Brigadier General Hassan Shah-Safi, the commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF).

Bondarev’s visit is aimed at expanding cooperation in the field of military and missile systems.

The Russian commander has met with Commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili and Brigadier General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Division.