Putin offers to mediate Middle East war as US aircraft losses in Iran hit 81
Putin offers to mediate Middle East war as US aircraft losses in Iran hit 81
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Moscow is ready to help mediate efforts to end the Middle East war, even as a new US congressional report put US aircraft losses in Iran at 81 since fighting began in February. Dawn reported the mediation offer on Wednesday night as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continued.
The offer comes as both sides trade terms for peace. Pezeshkian said earlier on Wednesday that an Iran-US peace deal was “not out of reach”, while Washington has laid down terms centred on ending Iranian uranium enrichment.
US aircraft losses in Iran: what the report says
A revised Congressional Research Service report, updated on October 5, lists 81 US military aircraft as lost or damaged in operations against Iran since February 28, nearly double the 42 counted in an earlier edition released in May. The tally covers fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and drones, drawing on news accounts, Pentagon statements, US Central Command and the Pentagon’s inspector general.
Unmanned systems account for the largest share: at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones and one MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone. Crewed losses include 12 F-15E Strike Eagles, two A-10 attack jets, seven KC-135 tankers, one E-3 Sentry airborne warning aircraft and one F-35A stealth fighter damaged by enemy fire.
The report documents three F-15Es downed by friendly fire over Kuwait on March 2, with all six crew ejecting safely, and another shot down over Iran a month later with its crew rescued. Two MC-130J special operations aircraft were deliberately destroyed on the ground in Iran during a recovery mission. Five KC-135 tankers were damaged in an Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, while eight F-15s damaged at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan in September have since returned to service.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated in September that replacing equipment lost through August 1 would cost between $1.9 billion and $3.3 billion. The research service cautioned that the figures could change as assessments are revised and that some damaged aircraft have returned to service.
Mediation and the road ahead
Putin’s offer positions Moscow as a would-be broker even as Russia remains tied down in Ukraine. The Kremlin has previously said Putin is ready to facilitate a political and diplomatic settlement and a just, lasting peace in the Middle East.
Whether mediation gains traction depends on the warring sides. Washington wants Tehran to abandon any path to a nuclear weapon, while Tehran blames Washington for the breakdown of direct talks. For now the war grinds on, and the aircraft tally stands as a measure of its cost.
Frequently asked questions
What did Putin offer Iran?
He told President Pezeshkian that Russia was ready to help mediate and facilitate a political and diplomatic settlement to the Middle East war.
How many US aircraft have been lost in the Iran war?
A US Congressional Research Service report updated on October 5 lists 81 aircraft lost or damaged since February 28, up from 42 in May.
What types of aircraft were lost?
Mostly drones, including 45 MQ-9 Reapers, plus 12 F-15Es, two A-10s, seven KC-135 tankers, an E-3 Sentry and a damaged F-35A.
