Iran reports aircraft losses as US warns of renewed military action
Iran lost between 20 and 30 aircraft during its war with the United States and Israel, the head of the country’s national airline said Monday, as Tehran faces mounting pressure to rebuild its aviation fleet and repair damage caused by the conflict.
Taher Abdolhai, chief executive of Iran Air, also known as HOMA, said the country needs approximately 1,000 passenger aircraft but has only around 300.
Of those, between 130 and 140 were operational before the war, while between 70 and 80 aircraft were targeted during the conflict, Abdolhai said, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
He said Iran Air suffered particularly severe damage, with one of its aircraft completely destroyed.
International sanctions have further weakened the airline’s operations by restricting access to spare parts, maintenance services, financing and new aircraft. Abdolhai cited financial constraints and staffing challenges as additional obstacles.
Iran Air employs more than 9,000 people, he said, adding that improving efficiency was increasingly important as the operational fleet shrinks. He also opposed privatizing the national carrier, arguing that it serves strategic national interests beyond commercial aviation.
US sanctions, reimposed after Washington withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018, disrupted Iran’s aircraft procurement agreements with Boeing and Airbus and contributed to rising maintenance costs and grounded aircraft.
Vance acknowledges failures in US handling of war
US Vice President JD Vance has acknowledged serious shortcomings in Washington’s handling of the war with Iran, including weaknesses in protecting American troops from attacks.
Speaking during a CBS News town hall, Vance responded to questions from Joey Amor, whose wife, US Army Reserve Master Sgt. Nicole Amor, was among six American soldiers killed in an Iranian strike on a military facility in Kuwait at the start of the conflict in late February.
At least 21 US service members have been killed and hundreds wounded, according to the account provided during the event.
“There were a lot of mistakes and a lot of fundamental failures,” Amor said, questioning whether the facility had been adequately secured.
Vance acknowledged the concerns, saying some information did not reach senior officials and promising to take failures seriously.
He also said the positioning of US troops had exposed weaknesses in the military’s approach, adding that changes had been made to improve force protection.
The vice president pointed to the growing threat posed by inexpensive drones and said the military had adjusted its tactics to reduce casualties.
Vance defended President Donald Trump’s strategy, arguing that the United States had achieved decisive results in some areas while acknowledging that the conflict’s outcome also depended on Iran’s actions.
He said Washington was seeking a firm commitment from Tehran not to rebuild its nuclear programme.
Pentagon chief warns Tehran to reach deal or face devastation
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned Iran that it must abandon its nuclear ambitions and reach an agreement with Washington or face further military action.
Speaking Saturday to Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets and military recruits at the University of Tennessee, Hegseth said Tehran would soon have to choose between negotiations and what he described as swift and devastating American military action.
He accused Iran of building up its conventional missile arsenal to deter attacks while continuing to pursue nuclear capabilities.
Hegseth also accused Tehran of supporting armed groups, including Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis, and said Washington was seeking to deter attacks on US forces and shipping.
The defense chief presented the administration’s Iran policy as part of a broader effort by Trump to strengthen American power and limit the influence of rivals, including China and Russia.
He also referred to US policy toward Venezuela, highlighting the country’s oil resources and describing recent American action there as having long-term strategic implications.
Tehran says indirect negotiations with Washington continue
Despite the military warnings, indirect contacts between Iran and the United States are continuing through Qatari and Omani mediation, according to Iranian lawmaker Yaqoub Rezazadeh.
Rezazadeh, a member of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told the ILNA news agency on Saturday that both sides had submitted conditions for negotiations and that Tehran was awaiting Washington’s response.
He said the talks were being overseen by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, with discussions conducted under its approval.
The lawmaker played down speculation about an imminent new conflict, saying he did not expect renewed fighting before US congressional elections and elections in Israel, although he acknowledged that another confrontation remained possible.
Rezazadeh said Iran would not launch a preemptive attack but would respond if attacked. He also claimed that the country’s military, air defence and naval capabilities had improved following previous rounds of fighting.
The latest contacts follow an understanding reached in Islamabad in June aimed at ending hostilities and opening the way for further negotiations, with Pakistan and Qatar involved in mediation.
However, tensions have since resurfaced over the implementation of the understanding and continuing military activity in the region.
The combination of reported aircraft losses, US warnings and ongoing diplomatic contacts underscores the uncertainty surrounding efforts to prevent a renewed escalation between Washington and Tehran.
Source:AA
