"Putin's Middle East Summit: F-14 Tomcat Escort, Anti-US Alliance, and Handshake Controversy"

An Iranian F-14 Tomcat fighter jet flew alongside Russian President Putin's Il-96 aircraft and its escort of four Su-35S Flanker jets as they traveled to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. This is not the first time Iranian F-14s have escorted Russian aircraft over Iran. The F-14s are part of Iran's Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) and are among the world's last operational F-14s. The trip aimed to strengthen Russia's influence in the Middle East, with discussions on energy cooperation and the Israel-Hamas conflict. The Russian aircraft were also supported by a Tu-214SUS and a Tu-214SR during the trip.