Iran’s Mahan Air Acquires Five Boeing 777s in "Covert Operation"
Iran’s Mahan Air secretly acquired five Boeing 777 aircraft in a complex sanctions-evasion operation involving shell companies and multiple countries. The jets, formerly operated by Singapore Airlines, were smuggled into Iran from Cambodia, marking a major expansion of Mahan’s fleet and sparking concerns over enforcement of U.S. and EU sanctions.
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Iran’s Mahan Air, a sanctioned airline with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has reportedly smuggled five Boeing 777-200ER aircraft into the country, circumventing U.S. and EU sanctions. The jets, previously operated by Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary NokScoot, were acquired through a complex network involving shell companies and multiple countries, landing in Iran on July 15, 2025, after departing from Cambodia’s Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SIA).
According to aviation sources, the aircraft, originally delivered to Singapore Airlines between 2001 and 2003, were stored in Australia’s Alice Springs Airport (ASP) after NokScoot ceased operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, Ion Aviation, a U.S.-based brokerage firm, purchased the jets and relocated them to Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport (LHW) in China between December 2023 and March 2024. The aircraft were then moved to Cambodia via Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) between July 4 and 8, 2025, and re-registered in Madagascar under the 5R prefix (5R-HER, 5R-IJA, 5R-ISA, 5R-RIJ, 5R-RIS). On July 15, the jets departed Cambodia, with their transponders switched off over Afghanistan or Pakistan, rendering their flight paths untraceable until they landed at Iranian airports, including Mashhad (MHD), Zahedan, and Chabahar.
This marks Iran’s first acquisition of Boeing 777s, a significant addition to Mahan Air’s fleet, which includes aging Airbus A340s and A310s. The operation, described as one of Iran’s boldest sanctions-evasion efforts, involved front companies across four continents and exploited jurisdictions like Cambodia and Madagascar, which are not bound by U.S. sanctions. Iranian outlet Nasr News reported the arrival of the jets, though it mistakenly used a photo of an Air France aircraft, and suggested Mahan Air may acquire five to six more 777s soon. The jets’ Rolls-Royce Trent 884-17 engines align with Mahan Air’s maintenance capabilities, as they share infrastructure with the Trent 772B-60 engines on Iran Air’s A330s, enabling efficient integration.
Mahan Air, sanctioned by the U.S. since 2011 for allegedly transporting weapons and personnel for the IRGC to conflict zones like Syria and Yemen, has a history of similar covert acquisitions. In December 2022, it acquired four Airbus A340s via South Africa, and in April 2025, Iran Air obtained two A330s through Oman. These operations often involve disabling transponders mid-flight and using intermediaries in countries with lax oversight. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has previously sanctioned entities like Malaysia-based My Aviation Company and Armenia’s Flight Travel LLC for facilitating such transfers.
Aviation experts note that Iran’s aging fleet, with only about 150 of 350 aircraft operational as of 2024, relies on these kind of methods to modernize and sustain air travel amid strict sanctions prohibiting the export of aircraft with over 10% U.S.-made components. The acquisition could enhance Mahan Air’s long-haul routes to China and Southeast Asia, potentially boosting Iran’s tourism and commercial connectivity. However, critics, including the Middle East Forum, argue it strengthens Iran’s “sanctions-busting airlift capability” and call for U.S. action against involved jurisdictions and companies.
Posts on X, including from @iran_news9, reflect public awareness of the operation, with some speculating about Cambodia’s role and potential geopolitical trade-offs. The U.S. and EU have yet to respond officially, but past actions, like the 2024 seizure of a Mahan Air Boeing 747 in Argentina, suggest potential enforcement measures.