Gerjon’s Aircraft Finds

Share this post

The Iran–Ethiopia airlift: Pouya Air and Qeshm Fars Air

gerjon.substack.com

The Iran–Ethiopia airlift: Pouya Air and Qeshm Fars Air

Gerjon
Dec 27, 2021
1
Share this post

The Iran–Ethiopia airlift: Pouya Air and Qeshm Fars Air

gerjon.substack.com

Over the past six months, I have frequently written about cargo aircraft from Turkey and especially the United Arab Emirates visiting Ethiopia’s largest and international airport, Addis Ababa Bole Airport, and the main base of the Ethiopian Air Force, Harar Meda Military Airport, which is located near the city of Bishoftu. Besides flights from these countries, aircraft from a third country have been flying to Ethiopia: Iran. In this article, I will provide some background information about the two airlines involved, “Qeshm Fars Air” and “Pouya Air”, and will provide an overview of the flights that have taken place.

Qeshm Fars Air

Qeshm Fars Air (also called Fars Air Qeshm) is an Iranian airline mainly known for their flights from Iran’s capital Tehran to Damascus, Syria and airports in Venezuela.

Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
A few hours after #Iran's "Qeshm Fars Air" Boeing 747-200 reg. 🇮🇷EP-FAB as #QFZ9970 lost tracking close to 🇻🇪#Caracas, #Venezuela, a similar sized and shaped aircraft was seen on ground at Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS). The aircraft just took off again, as #QFZ9971.
Image
Twitter avatar for @no_itsmyturn
Aleph א @no_itsmyturn
#IRGC-affiliated Fars Qeshm Air EP-FAB (on OFAC'S SDN list) Boeing 747-281F/SCD Outbound #Caracas #Venezuela https://t.co/EKRa9GUwNX
8:57 PM ∙ Mar 1, 2021
27Likes9Retweets
Twitter avatar for @joseolivaresm
Jose Manuel Olivares @joseolivaresm
Acaba de llegar al Aeropuerto de Maiquetia el avión 747 de QESHM AIR procedente de Irán. Este avión transporta regularmente armas para grupos Terroristas de Medio Oriente y está sancionado por la @UTresury
Image
9:19 PM ∙ Oct 27, 2020
1,144Likes1,809Retweets

Historical Venezuela flights by Qeshm Fars have been linked to delivery of Mohajer-6 UAVs, a UAV type currently also used in Ethiopia:

Twitter avatar for @oryxspioenkop
Oryx @oryxspioenkop
New article! Iranian Mohajer-6 Drones Spotted In Ethiopia
oryxspioenkop.comIranian Mohajer-6 Drones Spotted In EthiopiaBy Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans A sudden violent outbreak of civil war in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region has thrown the nation i...
6:16 PM ∙ Aug 11, 2021
247Likes146Retweets

Some examples of Qeshm Fars Air operations around Syria:

Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
IRGC-linked Qeshm Fars Air EP-FAB #QFZ9950 has landed at #Damascus by now 👇🏻
Image
4:22 PM ∙ Feb 12, 2020
1Like1Retweet
Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
Returning to 🇮🇷#Tehran, #Iran from 🇸🇾#Damascus, #Syria, and caught on 🛰️Sentinel-2 satellite imagery moments after take-off (yesterday 08:30 UTC): 🇺🇸U.S.-sanctioned* "Qeshm Fars Air" Boeing 747-281F(SCD) reg. 🇮🇷EP-FAB as #QFZ9951. *for “delivery of lethal materiel” [to Syria]
Image
7:13 PM ∙ May 11, 2021
82Likes25Retweets
Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
Two of 🇮🇷#Iran's ancient 747-200 freighters visited 🇸🇾#Damascus, #Syria today: Qeshm Fars Air 🇮🇷EP-FAB as #QFZ9951, first delivered 1991, Iran Air Force/Saha Airlines/Caspian Airlines 🇮🇷5-8113/🇮🇷EP-SHB as #CPN7961, first delivered 14 years earlier: in 1977.
Image
5:54 PM ∙ Feb 3, 2021
40Likes16Retweets

Both of their 747-200s (EP-FAA and EP-FAB) are around 30 years old at this point, and are part of a small group of 747-200 aircraft remaining in active service worldwide. Other 747-200 operators include Moldova’s Fly Pro reg. ER-BAT, Georgia’s Geo-Sky (4L-GEN and 4L-GEO), the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF) presidential Boeings VC-25A, based on the 747-200.

In a famous incident in 2019, a Qeshm Fars Air 747-200 (EP-FAB) tipped over in Doha, Qatar, a result of improper unloading strategies.

Twitter avatar for @ItayBlumental
איתי בלומנטל Itay Blumental @ItayBlumental
The Iranian Fars Air Qeshm Boeing 747-200 (EP-FAB), that sometimes used to transport weapons from Tehran to Damascus, lost balance in Doha. @ynetalerts @DanielSal_87 #potn @Obs_IL @Gerjon_
Image
Image
Image
12:23 PM ∙ Mar 17, 2019
35Likes9Retweets

Back in 2019, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against Qeshm Fars Air and both of their aircraft “under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, a counter-terrorism authority”. They state that Qeshm Fars Air and its fleet of two B747 aircraft “operated regular cargo flights to Damascus, delivering cargo, including weapons shipments, on behalf of the IRGC-QF [Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps – Quds Force]”. They add:

“OFAC is also identifying two B747 aircraft as property in which Qeshm Fars Air has an interest:  EP-FAA and EP-FAB.  These identifications serve to warn those who provide support to these aircraft that they could be exposed to U.S. sanctions.”

Pouya Air

Although Pouya Air’s website lists two aircraft, only one Pouya Air aircraft (Ilyushin Il-76 reg. EP-PUS) is known to be currently active. In broken English, their website states:

“Pouyaair is a established company , which has highly experienced Crew; expert crews under employment ; they are courteous in presenting their assigned service in the field of heavy load air transportation this company self-possesses , two unit of spacious body cargo A/C within the fleet , ready to give various services all over the world , live animals , bulky cargos , variety of general cargos , including D.G Material transportation have been , reputedly conducted by this company , with maximum customer satisfaction.”

Because of MLAT tracking, less is known about their route network, but it is known that also Pouya Air’s EP-PUS regularly visited destinations in Syria. Planespotting databases can be used to determine that regular destinations of EP-PUS also include Beijing and Moscow.

Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
Here it is: my overview of the #Iran-#Syria flights of Iranian hard-to-track Ilyushin IL76 EP-PUS. Downloaded 103 Flightradar route segments, out of 349. Found 52 flights (both directions together!) 4 confirmed #Latakia visits. 0 confirmed #Damascus visits. #avgeek #IGRC #EPPUS
Image
7:22 PM ∙ Sep 27, 2018
17Likes14Retweets

Like Qeshm Fars Air, also Pouya Air is listed on OFAC’s Sanctions List. A press release, dated 24 May 2018, states:

“The facilitators designated by the Treasury today have been procuring parts and providing services for the fleets of sanctioned Iranian airlines, including (…) Pouya Air.  In so doing, they extend a lifeline to the IRGC-QF and enable the Iranian regime to transport weapons, fighters, and money to its proxies, including Hizballah, and to prop up the brutal Assad regime (…)”

“Additionally, we are identifying a number of aircraft associated with designated Iranian airlines (…) Pouya Air, giving notice to those who grant landing rights and provide general services to these aircraft that they could be exposed to U.S. sanctions.

The aviation community is also alerted to the sanctions risk for those maintaining commercial relationships with Mahan Air and other designated Iranian airlines, including (…) Pouya Air.”

The flights

Routes and frequency

A total of fourteen flights by Iranian aircraft to Ethiopia are known to have taken place over the period August 2021 – December 2021. These include six flights by Pouya Air’s EP-PUS, five flights by Qeshm Fars Air’s EP-FAA and two flights by Qeshm Fars Air’s EP-FAB. One remaining flight was done by an unidentified Iranian aircraft using ICAO code 730000.

In a previous blog, I explained the differences between full ADS-B tracking and positionless Mode-S tracking. This issue also exists for Iranian flights to Ethiopia. Qeshm Fars Air aircraft sometimes do and sometimes do not use full ADS-B. Pouya Air’s Il-76 never use full ADS-B. The same analysis techniques introduced in this previous blog have also been used for Iranian aircraft.

In one peculiar event, a Qeshm Fars Air 747-200 had landed at Addis Ababa Bole Airport unseen on most tracking websites, because she was not using full ADS-B. When starting up at Addis Ababa Bole Airport, however, ADS-B was briefly turned on, making the aircraft visible to the outside world. ADS-B was turned back off minutes later, so only part of the taxi run towards the start of the runway is included in the ADS-B track.

Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
😅 not their smartest move! In a likely effort to avoid detection, "Qeshm Fars Air" 🇮🇷 EP-FAA flew 🇮🇷 Iran to 🇪🇹 Addis Ababa without transmitting their position. After start-up in Addis however, they briefly did transmit positions, before switching back to positionless Mode-S.
Image
Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
🇮🇷Iran's Qeshm Fars Air Boeing 747-200 reg. 🇮🇷EP-FAA has once again landed at 🇪🇹Addis Ababa Bole Airport, Ethiopia, a couple minutes ago. https://t.co/xZOLD5dGb4
11:48 AM ∙ Dec 14, 2021
277Likes204Retweets

As I reported previously, Fly Sky Airlines flights visited both Addis Ababa Bole Airport and Harar Meda Military Airport, oftentimes both on the same day. In contrast, Iranian airlines seem to focus on one airport alone.

Qeshm Fars Air, operating two Boeing 747-200 cargo aircraft, only flies to Addis Ababa Bole Airport. Ilyushin Il-76 operator Pouya Air on the other hand flies to Harar Meda Military Airport. This difference might be related to a lack of services or facilities available at Harar Meda Military Airport, which might be essential for a 747-200, but not for an Il-76, or to weight and/or size limitations at Harar Meda Military Airport.

Visual evidence

In order to confirm my Mode-S investigation results, it is desirable to find independent visual confirmation using satellite images or images taken on ground. Some of this evidence is presented below.

Pouya Air’s EP-PUS was seen on ground at Harar Meda Airport on Sentinel-2 imagery on 16 Aug 2021 (note that the Il-76 silhouette on the 11 Aug 2021 image was added manually, for reference purposes).

Pictures of EP-PUS around Harar Meda Military Airport have been provided to me by someone in the vicinity of the airport, but cannot yet be published yet, over security concerns. Hopefully I will still be able to publish these images at a later point.

Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
✈️Mode-S data 23-24 Jul 2021+today, 16 Aug 2021, show Iran-reg Ilyushin Il-76TD reg. 🇮🇷EP-PUS (hex: #7342B3) landed in 🇪🇹Ethiopia. Similar looking aircraft visible on 🛰️Sentinel-2 images at Harar Meda Airport this morning. Landings±: 23 Jul 2021 05:45 UTC 16 Aug 2021 05:00 UTC
Image
Twitter avatar for @oryxspioenkop
Oryx @oryxspioenkop
New article! Iranian Mohajer-6 Drones Spotted In Ethiopia https://t.co/9WVDxBi5Su
7:01 PM ∙ Aug 16, 2021
245Likes219Retweets

Because Qeshm Fars Air aircraft visit Addis Ababa Bole Airport, located within the large and densely populated capital city, more pictures exist of the aircraft on ground at and flying over Addis Ababa. For example, a Qeshm Fars Air visit to Addis Ababa on 17 Aug 2021 was spotted by a local.

Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
Wow! Faster than expected. An image reportedly showing "Qeshm Fars Air" Boeing 747 reg. 🇮🇷EP-FAB in 🇪🇹Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 👇🏻 Will try to verify image location later (but obviously, I will not be revealing the exact location the image was taken from.) https://t.co/oDaoBZPkvf
Image
7:58 AM ∙ Aug 17, 2021
63Likes41Retweets

The latest visit, Qeshm Fars Air flight 9966 from Tehran to Addis Ababa on 26 Dec 2021, has even better documentation. For one, the inbound flight was visible on full ADS-B. Furthermore, various people on ground provided me with images of the aircraft on ground at Bole Airport and in the skies over Addis Ababa.

Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
The friends around Addis did not disappoint! Minutes apart, I received reports of🇮🇷Iran's Qeshm Fars Air 🇮🇷EP-FAA taking off in 🇪🇹Addis Ababa around 30 min ago, and several people sent me pictures, two of them shown below. Apparently she was so loud that she set off car alarms.
Image
Image
Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
Urgent call on all friends around 🇪🇹Addis Ababa: it would be helpful if you spot the white and large 🇮🇷Iranian cargo aircraft currently on approach to the airport 👇🏻 https://t.co/vXGEEnHnr0
12:41 PM ∙ Dec 26, 2021
284Likes163Retweets
Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
A photo taken today at 🇪🇹Addis Ababa Bole Airport shows 🇮🇷Iran's (IRGC-affiliated, US-sanctioned) "Qeshm Fars Air" Cargo 747-200 🇮🇷EP-FAA #QFZ9966. Next to her is "Ethiopian Airlines" 777-260(LR) 🇪🇹ET-ANQ (on ground at Bole since early 22 Dec 2021). 📸:airteamimages.com/boeing-747_EP-…
Image
Twitter avatar for @Gerjon_
Gerjon | חריון @Gerjon_
The friends around Addis did not disappoint! Minutes apart, I received reports of🇮🇷Iran's Qeshm Fars Air 🇮🇷EP-FAA taking off in 🇪🇹Addis Ababa around 30 min ago, and several people sent me pictures, two of them shown below. Apparently she was so loud that she set off car alarms. https://t.co/nIJmwwQHJF https://t.co/MIl9pbRFU1
7:57 PM ∙ Dec 26, 2021
273Likes266Retweets

After almost 120 flights, it seems like the airlift between the UAE and Ethiopia has now come to a halt, perhaps over foreign pressure. At this point in time however, there seems to be a slight increase in Iran-Ethiopia flight frequency. Needless to say, I will keep monitoring the situation closely, and will make the outside world aware of any future flights, both on this blog and on Twitter.

Share this post

The Iran–Ethiopia airlift: Pouya Air and Qeshm Fars Air

gerjon.substack.com
Comments
TopNewCommunity

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 Gerjon
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing