The shadow of the Kremlin over Iran. Suspicious flights and Russian planes used as an “air bridge” to rescue the Tehran regime
Russian military transport planes have begun making frequent flights to Tehran since the start of mass protests that are spreading across Iran and threaten to topple the current regime, according to the independent Russian publication The Moscow Times, writing from exile.
Russia could provide him with military and technical support and, at the same time, prepare the evacuation of the supreme leader along with his closest collaborators, including the transport of gold.
Russia helped dictator Bashar al-Assad flee Syria just over a year ago.
Cargo planes bypass NATO airspace
Between December 27, 2025 and January 1, 2026, IL-76TD planes, under the pretext of being civilian planes, made regular flights from Mineralni Vody, located in the southwest of Russia, to Tehran, flying over the Caucasus and bypassing the airspace controlled by NATO countries, writes the specialized publication Air Cargo Week.
The Iliushin IL-76TD is a civilian cargo transport variant of the well-known Soviet IL-76 strategic transport aircraft, known as the NATO code name “Candid”, a robust four-engined aircraft designed to carry heavy and oversized cargo, including tanks.
These are not random charter transports, but a targeted activity, as indicated by the reuse of the same aircraft and the fact that the operators give an obvious priority to the speed and reliability of transports at the expense of economic efficiency, the publication emphasizes: “The decision to carry out numerous flights instead of a single consolidated transport of goods is in accordance with the doctrine of military logistics”.
The protests in Iran broke out on December 28 and have since spread to many cities. The direct reason was the drop in the rial rate to a record low; in addition, “the population is facing huge, if not unbearable, problems due to the worsening economic situation and crises in the supply of water, electricity and gas,” notes Mikhail Krutikhin, a prominent Russian oil and gas analyst, co-founder of the independent consultancy RusEnergy and a vocal critic of the Kremlin, known for his expertise in the Russian energy sector, Iran and Asia, who left Russia and now lives in Norway. where he was designated a “foreign agent” in 2023.
Although mass protests over deteriorating living conditions have occurred in Iran several times, the regime is now weakened after its defeat in June's 12-day war with Israel, Krutikhin added.
Preparations for the escape of Iran's supreme leader
Against this background, information appeared about the preparation of the escape of the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to Moscow and the export of gold.
British MP Tom Tugendhat said on Thursday that there are reports of Russian cargo planes landing in Tehran and exporting a large amount of gold from the country.
“We are also seeing the arrival of Russian cargo planes in Tehran, probably with weapons and ammunition, and we are hearing reports of a large amount of gold being taken out of Iran,” according to Iran International.
Tugendhat asked the British government to comment on the information, which he said could indicate preparations for the “life after the fall” of the Islamic regime in Iran.
British Deputy Foreign Secretary Hamish Falkner, responsible for the Middle East and North Africa, said he was “not prepared to provide detailed information” on the matter.
Ali Khamenei's plan
A few days ago, The Times, citing intelligence, reported that Ali Khamenei had drawn up an evacuation plan if the authorities failed to crack down on the mass protests.
He is expected to be followed by 20 of his close entourage, including aides and family members.
Former Israeli intelligence officer Beni Sabti told the British newspaper that Khamenei plans to flee to Moscow.
With a cargo of gold he fled to Moscow and Bashar al-Assad, whom Putin failed to defend at the end of 2024 from the uprising of the armed opposition.
Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi is also believed to have made off with a lot of gold when he fled Iran in January 1979 during the Islamic Revolution.
Who operates the flights
He loaded his Boeing with so much precious metal that it barely managed to take off, a CIA employee revealed in the film “Operation Argo”, dedicated to the evacuation of the employees of the American embassy in Iran.
According to Air Cargo Week, the flights of IL-76TD planes to Tehran have been organized since the end of December by a Russian and a Belarusian cargo company, and “both airlines have a long history of performing state and defense tasks in Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East.”
The use of civilian carriers provides flexibility and allows not to attract attention, as in the case of flights with military aircraft, the publication notes.
