Iran's army says Su-35 fighter jets will arrive once the war is over

A spokesman for Iran's army said the country will take delivery of Su-35 fighter jets after the war ends, and that the process of buying the aircraft has already been completed. The statement was relayed on Saturday evening by Abu Ali Express, an Israeli Telegram channel that follows Arabic and Iranian media.

News.co.il carried the same remarks less than an hour later, attributing them to the Iranian army spokesperson. Both channels published the statement in Hebrew as a single short line. Neither added comment, a date for delivery, or any further detail on the deal.

What the Su-35 is

The Su-35 is a multirole fighter designed by Sukhoi, the Russian aircraft maker. It is among the most advanced combat aircraft in Russia's export range and is built for air-to-air combat as well as strikes on ground targets. For Iran, acquiring it would mark a significant step up from the fleet its air force currently flies.

Why the claim matters

Iran's air force has for decades relied largely on older aircraft, including American-made jets bought before the Islamic Revolution and Soviet-era types acquired later. International sanctions have made it difficult for Tehran to buy modern fighters or spare parts on the open market. Iranian officials have spoken about obtaining the Su-35 from Russia on several occasions in recent years, but public confirmation of completed deliveries has been absent, which is why each new statement on the subject draws attention.

The spokesman's wording is notable for two reasons. First, it presents the purchase as finished rather than under negotiation. Second, it ties the arrival of the jets to the end of a war, rather than to a calendar date. That suggests, on the spokesman's own account, that delivery is not expected while fighting continues.

Why Israel is watching

Israel regards Iran as its principal strategic adversary, and Iranian air power and air defence are closely followed by Israeli media and the Israeli military. Any change in Iran's ability to contest its own airspace, or to project force beyond its borders, is relevant to Israeli planning. That context helps explain why Israeli channels picked up and circulated a brief remark from an Iranian army official within minutes.

About the outlets

Abu Ali Express is a widely followed Israeli Telegram channel that monitors and translates reporting from the Arab world and Iran. News.co.il is an Israeli news site that also publishes rapid updates on Telegram. In this case, both channels appear to be relaying a statement that originated with Iranian officials. Neither linked to an original Iranian broadcast or published text.

What the reports do not say

The material leaves several basic questions unanswered:

• Who spoke. Neither report names the spokesman or says where or in what format the remarks were made.
• Which war. The statement refers to delivery after the war, but neither report identifies the conflict or explains what would count as its end.
• How many aircraft. No number of jets, price, or contract terms are given.
• The seller's position. There is no response from Russia or from Sukhoi in the material, and no independent confirmation that a sale has been concluded.
• Original wording. Both reports are in Hebrew and do not quote the original Persian, so the exact phrasing used by the spokesman cannot be checked from these sources.

Until the original statement or a response from Moscow is available, the claim that the purchase is complete rests on the word of the Iranian army spokesman as relayed by two Israeli channels.