Kathrine Frich
Flight-tracking users and social media channels seized on the aircraft’s movements, fuelling claims that senior figures may have travelled in secret.
A discreet flight from Tehran to Moscow has sparked intense online speculation at a volatile moment for Iran’s leadership.
With no official explanation offered, a routine aviation trail quickly turned into a political guessing game.
Tracked flight sparks rumours
The Daily Express reported that Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian may have gone to Russia, based on unverified claims circulating online after an Iranian government-linked aircraft landed in Moscow.
According to flight-tracking data cited in the report, an Airbus A321 operated by Iran’s Meraj Airlines using the callsign IRAN07 left Tehran on Tuesday evening and arrived at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport after a direct flight lasting about 3 hours and 38 minutes.
The aircraft is listed as belonging to the Iranian government and is described as being used to transport senior officials on sensitive missions.
The Daily Express said it became the “world’s most-tracked aircraft on FlightRadar24”, with tens of thousands monitoring its route.
Speculation spread on Telegram and other platforms, including Russian and pro-Kremlin channels, which asserted without evidence that President Pezeshkian was onboard.
Alternative names emerge
With Iranian state media silent and no confirmation from Tehran or Moscow, the report said some accounts suggested a different passenger: Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and a long-time power broker.
Larijani was recently quoted blaming unrest on foreign-backed ‘quasi-terrorist’ groups, the Daily Express reported.
The flight’s arrival at Vnukovo, an airport often associated with VIP and foreign government travel, coincided with online claims about possible US targeted strikes against Iranian security structures, senior figures or suspected nuclear sites, the report added.
Russian outlet Mash, which the Daily Express described as having ties to security services, posted screenshots of the route, while other reports pointed to a secondary callsign RSJ7136 linked to a Russian business aviation operator.
The aircraft registration EP-IPD has been identified as one used for Iranian senior officials, the report said.
No official visit has been announced, leaving the trip’s purpose unclear.
Sources: Daily Express, FlightRadar24, Telegram channels.
