Iran Bought a Fleet of 225 F-4 Phantoms Made in the USA and Nearly Fought a US Air Force F-22 Raptor That Flew Right Under It

Before the 1979 revolution, Iran received 225 American F-4 Phantoms. It used them heavily against Iraq, then kept survivors operational through depot repairs, cannibalization and new guided weapons. FlightGlobal listed 65 entering 2026, but wartime losses have made the current flyable total impossible to verify.
By: 19fortyfive.com








