August M
Uncertainty rather than confirmation is driving speculation after an unexplained Iranian government flight landed in Moscow, with no statements from Tehran or the Kremlin clarifying who was on board or why it travelled.
Iranian state media have remained silent, and Russian authorities have made no announcement of any official visit, leaving online claims about senior figures fleeing the country unverified.
According to The Express, rumours emerged after a government-linked Iranian aircraft arrived in Russia amid rising fears of possible US military action against Iran.
No confirmation given
Claims circulating on social media suggest Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian may have left the country, but there has been no evidence to support the allegation.
Neither Iran nor Russia has commented publicly, and no diplomatic engagement has been scheduled or disclosed. Observers say the absence of official information has allowed speculation to spread unchecked.
There is also no indication that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has travelled abroad.
Flight sparks attention
The speculation follows the arrival of an Airbus A321 operated by Iran’s Meraj Airlines, which departed Tehran on Tuesday evening and flew directly to Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft used the callsign IRAN07 and completed the journey in just over three and a half hours. The plane is officially listed as belonging to the Iranian government and has previously been used to transport senior officials.
The flight became one of the most tracked globally on FlightRadar24 as users monitored its route across southern Russia.
Online theories multiply
Telegram channels and pro-Kremlin social media accounts claimed, without proof, that Pezeshkian was on board, possibly seeking refuge or urgent talks with President Vladimir Putin.
Other observers suggested the passenger may have been Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Khamenei and secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, who has recently blamed unrest in Iran on foreign-backed groups.
None of the claims have been independently verified.
Tense backdrop
The aircraft landed at Vnukovo Airport, which is frequently used for VIP and government flights, as reports circulate online about potential US strikes targeting Iranian security structures, senior officials or nuclear facilities.
Russian outlet Mash shared screenshots of the aircraft’s route, while some reports noted an alternative callsign linked to a Russian business aviation operator. The plane’s registration, EP-IPD, is known to be associated with high-level Iranian travel.
With no official clarification, the purpose of the flight remains unclear.
Sources: The Express, FlightRadar24
