Looks what I found

[Wilches]

Weird, but is the Mirage IIICJ in Iranian inventory? Never heard of that.

 

http://th01.deviantart.net/fs6/PRE/i/2005/058/1/c/Iranian_Air_Force__by_Pedram.jpg

[KJakker]

Likely Iraqi Mirage's that were flown to Iran in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm.

[+Coupi]

I didn't know that!

[Gunrunner]

Unlikely, Iraq never bought any Mirage III or 5, at least directly and that I know of. We never sold them to Iran either and I don't see any other Arab Sunni country giving them to Iran... however... we sold Mirage IIIEL (they have all the external features of that profile) to Lebanon, and considering this country's relations with Syria and in turn Syria's relations with Iran, it's not entirely impossible that some Mirage IIIEL might have ended in Iran's hands...

 

My research so far to validate that idea :

 

- From 1968 Lebanon received 10 Mirage IIIEL and 2 Mirage IIIBL

- The only recorded loss I found is of a Mirage IIIBL (with a possible EL loss in 1973 but unconfirmed)

- The whole fleet was grounded for budgetary/political reasons in the late 70's and later put in storage

- Around that timeframe Dassault considered the fleet to be in good shape with no cannibalization

- In the late 90's 9 Mirage IIIEL were sold to Pakistan (it isn't clear whether the BL was part of the deal)

- At some point the LAF apparently changed the planes serial numbers, making it harder to track

 

That leaves 1, possibly 2, planes unaccounted for, of which at least one is a EL, the other one being either a EL or a BL.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Gunrunner

[mppd]

http://www.uskowioniran.com/2013/08/iran-overhauls-two-mirage-f1eq6-fighter.html#!/2013/08/iran-overhauls-two-mirage-f1eq6-fighter.html

Edited May 24, 2015 by mppd

[Wilches]

Gunrunner, I believe you´re on the right track. It´s very very unlikely that Israel ever sold anything to Iran.

[mppd]

Wiki says 24 were evacuated from Iraq, during the 1991 Gulf War.

[Peugeot205]

A Mirage IIIEL?

 

It could be , but the one shown in the pic it is not a IIIEL , take a look to the air intakes, they are at the same position of a IIIC

[+Coupi]

Who could have sold to Iran these old Mirage IIICJ (with ATAR 9C engine from 1971): Israel... Argentina? Strange!

Edited May 24, 2015 by Coupi

[Gunrunner]

Yes, but the engine is clearly not from a IIIC, and it can neither be a CJ nor a CZ, hence I assumed illustrator error/laziness...

[+Coupi]

I've doubts but it looks like to these ones...

 

 

 

From 1971 Israel equipped its Mirage IIICJ Shahak with the ATAR 9C engine. 

Edited May 24, 2015 by Coupi

[Gunrunner]

But where did they get them ? It would be even weirder that the Lebanese hypothesis, unless it's the Illustrator on drugs one which proves correct.

[Viggen]

I read somewhere that Egypt sent some Mirage 5SDEs to Iraq in 1985 or 1986. Perhaps one made its way to Iran?

[Wilches]

Viggen, if it´s true it was kept in high secrecy. Great info btw  . I could kill for a photo! 

HOLY COW!!!!!!

 

http://defence.pk/threads/iran-iraq-war-picture-gallery.225633/page-10

[B52STRATO]

I was thinking about this too, the Egyptians sent them Mirage 5SDR for recon flights. If I remember correctly Egypt also captured one (or maybe more) Lybian Mirage 5DE during their short war in 77.

[Wilches]

It was one of this

 

http://s116.photobucket.com/user/Moshe16/media/Avions/964280IMG_7813a.jpg.html#/user/Moshe16/media/Avions/964280IMG_7813a.jpg.html?&_suid=143251349016209332641059241833

 

Any skinning volunteers?

[Wilches]

Cool!

 

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JensOle/media/Africa/Scrshot14182.jpg.html#/user/JensOle/media/Africa/Scrshot14182.jpg.html?&_suid=143251695470407190711299529875

[+Wrench]

you mean this one, that comes stock??

[+Stratos]

I think that's an error, never seen a Mirage III in Iranian markings and can find a credible story that can justify such a thing.

[Emp_Palpatine]

So do I. 

[stuntman]

The other interesting thing in my opinion is the tomcat right above the mirage, it seems to be in gull grey camo.

[Emp_Palpatine]

Well, this is Deviantart, you can also found pics of a C.S.A. airforce. I tend to be quite sceptic when it comes to deviant art. 

[Wilches]

I´ve been thinking the same before I saw the lending 5SDE from Egypt to Iraq (http://defence.pk/threads/iran-iraq-war-picture-gallery.225633/page-10). If its markings were overpainted, to paint the rest was an easy task. It´s likely that some or all the fighters borrowed were absorved by IrAF for use in IranXIraq war.

[+CrazyhorseB34]

I think it is Mirage III "BS".