{"id":104578,"date":"2025-07-25T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T23:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=104578"},"modified":"2025-07-25T02:57:45","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T21:27:45","slug":"irans-mahan-air-smuggle-ex-singapore-airlines-777s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/25\/irans-mahan-air-smuggle-ex-singapore-airlines-777s\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran’s Mahan Air Smuggle Former Singapore Airlines Boeing 777s"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

TEHRAN\u2013<\/strong> Iran\u2019s Mahan Air (W5) has discreetly expanded its wide-body fleet by acquiring five Boeing 777-200 aircraft, formerly operated by Singapore Airlines (SQ)<\/a> and NokScoot. These aircraft underwent a complex, multi-country transfer process designed to circumvent longstanding U.S. and European sanctions on Iran\u2019s aviation sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The jets, previously stored in Alice Springs, Australia (ASP), and later moved across several Asian airports\u2014including Lanzhou, China (LHW) and Siem Reap, Cambodia (REP)\u2014were re-registered in Madagascar before landing in Iran. Their transponders were turned off mid-flight, marking yet another example of aircraft transfers veiled in opacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Iran\u2019s
Photo: By Jiaqian AirplaneFan, CC BY 3.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=56798685<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Iran Smuggle Ex-Singapore Airlines 777s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Due to international sanctions, Iranian carriers like Mahan Air and Iran Air (IR) are barred from acquiring aircraft from manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus, as well as from most mainstream leasing companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response, Iran\u2019s aviation industry often relies on indirect, third-party arrangements that obscure the true destination of aircraft until the final stages of delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this instance, five Boeing 777-200s<\/a>\u2014each over two decades old\u2014were initially flown by Singapore Airlines and later by NokScoot, a low-cost Thai carrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After NokScoot\u2019s collapse in 2020, the aircraft were stored in Alice Springs (ASP). Between September 2023 and February 2024, they were sold to Ion Aviation, a U.S.-based entity, and briefly registered under U.S. tail numbers: N99001 through N99005.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Iran
Photo: By Javidfa – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=60520691<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Multi-Nation Journey of Disappearing Jets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Following their transfer to Ion Aviation, the aircraft moved to Lanzhou (LHW) in China and later flew to Siem Reap (REP), with some also stopping in Jakarta (CGK). The stopovers may have included maintenance or final livery adjustments before their ultimate journey to Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On July 15, 2025, the five aircraft departed from Cambodia in close succession. As they passed over Afghanistan, their ADS-B transponders were disabled\u2014a common practice in covert transfers\u2014before re-emerging under Madagascar registration numbers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n