For decades, Iran has operated one of the most unusual airline fleets in the world. Despite sweeping international sanctions designed to isolate the country from the global aerospace industry, Iranian airlines still fly dozens of Boeing and Airbus aircraft. Many of those jets were never supposed to reach Iran in the first place. Yet through a complex network of shell companies, deceptive flight plans, and covert logistics, Iran has managed to sustain and even expand parts of its commercial fleet. The result is a shadow aviation system where civilian airliners sometimes serve far more than passenger travel.

So in this video, we take a look at how Iran defied sanctions to build a secret Boeing fleet, the hidden networks used to acquire aircraft and spare parts, the role of international partners like Russia, and how these planes eventually become part of a broader dual-use logistics network.