Su-22 Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern Iran, Pilot Survives

A Sukhoi 22 fighter jet belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) crashed in Iran's southern Fars province on Saturday, according to state-run media.

The Director General of Airports in Fars Province confirmed the incident, stating that the crash occurred near Lake Parishan in Kazerun.

The semi-official ISNA news agency reported that the aircraft, described as "training-military type," crashed due to technical failure. The pilot managed to eject using a parachute, and there were no fatalities or injuries.

However, In an interview the governor of Kazerun confirmed that the pilot is currently hospitalized, suffering from a pelvic bone fracture.

The Sukhoi 22 is a single-seat bomber fighter aircraft manufactured in Russia, with the majority of the aircraft in the possession of the IRGC, originally owned by Iraq that Saddam Hussein sent to Iran not to lose them to US attacks.

The incident follows a similar one in August last year when another Sukhoi 22 fighter jet of the IRGC crashed at the Shiraz airbase, attributed to technical failure. In November 2017, in Sarvestan County, Fars Province, another aircraft of the same type crashed, resulting in the death of the pilot.

Aircraft accidents are not limited to the IRGC in Iran. In May 2022, two fighter jets of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army crashed within a few days, with one incident occurring in Esfahan Province, resulting in the death of the pilot and co-pilot.

Over recent years, several aviation accidents have led to the loss of military commanders and personnel. Ahmad Kazemi, the commander of the Ground Forces of the IRGC, lost his life in an aviation accident near Urmia on January 9, 2006.