Posted on 07/22/2015 9:00:06 AM PDT by rickmichaels
In defiance of the international arms embargo, Iran last week placed an order with Moscow for a huge fleet of 100 Russian IL78 MKI tanker aircraft (NATO: Midas) for refueling its air force in mid-flight, thereby extending its range to 7,300 km. This is reported exclusively by DEBKAfile from its military and intelligence sources. The transaction runs contrary to the terms of the nuclear accord the six world powers and Iran signed in Vienna earlier this month.
These tanker planes can simultaneously refuel six to eight warplanes. Their acquisition brings Israel, 1.200km away – as well the rest of the Middle East - within easy range of Iranian aerial bombardment. It also puts Iran’s air force ahead of Israel’s in terms of the quantity and range of its refueling capacity.
Whereas opponents of the Vienna deal have warned that Tehran will spend the billions of dollars released by sanctions relief as a bonanza for fueling its campaigns of terror in the region, it turns out that Iran’s first post-accord purchase is a heavy investment in the rearmament and upgrade of its armed forces’ aggressive capabilities.
The Israeli air force is familiar with the Russian airborne tanker from its use by the Indian air force with which Israel has close ties of cooperation. Its military engineers have also upgraded the Russian fuel tankers in service with the Uzbekistan air force.
Tuesday, July 21, DEBKAfile uncovered some of the tactics and escape clauses Iran has had built into its nuclear accord with the world powers for circumventing its provisions and commitments. The purchase of Russian refueling craft is a concrete example of this kind of evasion. Because the accord confirms the arms embargo in force until 2020, both Moscow and Tehran can maintain that the Russian aircraft industry will not be able to produce 100 new planes before the five years are up, and so the transaction is not a violation.
The huge Iranian-Russian military transaction therefore stands as the first palpable test of the Vienna accord, depending on whether US President Barack Obama or his Secretary of State John Kerry decides to make an issue of it. If they just let it go, it will set a precedent for the arms embargo clause of the nuclear accord to start unraveling.
Also Tuesday, Kerry gave an interview to the Al Arabia TV to prepare the way for his mission to the Gulf region on Aug. 3, which is to ease its rulers’ extreme unease over the ramifications of the nuclear accord. He asserted strongly to the interviewer: “I am not going to go through in great detail all the ways in which this agreement, in fact, makes the Gulf States and the region safer.”
The Secretary of State can expect some really hard questions during his trip on exactly how the Vienna accord makes the region safer, when Iran’s first act after signing is to arm itself with a fleet of Russian in-flight fuel tankers to expand and strengthen its range and power for aerial aggression.
This must be one of the side-deals we’re starting to hear about.
The Russians will do almost anything for short term money, followed closely by the French and the Germans, in no particular order.
And any point in Europe.
If Europe isn’t worried, they should be.
Well this is DEBKA, do we have another independent source?
Arming Iran is like giving a loaded gun to a monkey.
100 targets.
That's not worded very well...
Customized variant of the Il-78ME for the Indian Air Force. These Uzbekistan-built planes are fitted with Israeli fuel transfer systems and can refuel 6-8 Sukhoi Su-30MKIs in one mission.
D'oh!
Sounds like iran is gearing up for a battle, or a war.
In the mean time, our SoS and CiC have a piece of paper saying that the iranians will play nice.
Where have I seen this scenario play out before?
From what I’m reading in the article, this is not a violation of the arms embargo.
100 Russian Tankers.
100 Iranian Pilots.
The ground just resigned!
Pfffftttt! What Air Force?
I can’t imagine what payload the Iranians would have in mind to be worth carrying such a long way....
Neville Chamberlain was a mere amateur appeaser, compared to Obola.
We are giving / releasing $150,000,000,000 to Iran, so they can arm themselves with the best weapons technology.
You’d think with such a favorable development they’d be a bit more gracious, and wouldn’t continue all of the “Death to America” threats.
We’re Effed
This scumbag basta*d kerry isn't going to answer this. He will mumble some kind of incoherent logic and dance around any questions.
100 targets.
*****************************************
I was thinking - they have to park them somewhere.
Reports by Debka are spotty....just sayin’.
There is a HUGE difference in the agreements then and now.
First, in 1938 there was world wide hope that that paper really meant “Peace in our Time.” Only a few, such as W. Churchill protested and knew what the future would bring.
Today, in 2015, there is world wide knowledge that todays “paper” meant “Catastrophe in our Time.” The CIC and the SOC believe in their paper, while most fearfully see what the future will bring.
Yet some folks call Putin the great defender of Christianity.
I know. Just take it for what it is.
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