TheVenezuela-Iran ghost flights are clandestine and irregular flight routes fromVenezuela toIran and back. Some flights would pass throughSyria andParaguay. These flights, known as "aeroterror", were closed to the public and operated by sanctioned airlines such asConviasa,Emtrasur Cargo, andMahan Air. Due to their alleged role in facilitating the transport of weapons, gold, sanctioned cargo, and personnel linked to Iran'sIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) andHezbollah, these flights raised international concern.
In the mid-2000s, Venezuela under PresidentHugo Chávez and Iran underMahmoud Ahmadinejad significantly strengthened their relations.[1][2][3] These connections led to the establishment of what became known as "aeroterror", a weekly flight lineCaracas–Damascus–Tehran operational between 2007 and 2010.[4] These flights were called "ghost flights", as they lacked standard passenger or cargo manifests and customs documentation.[5] It is reported that these routes were used to support clandestine operations of transferring military technology,narcotics, money, personnel linked to Hezbollah and theQuds Force of the IRGC, and evenradioactive materials.[4][5][6]
These ghost flights were mainly operated by Mahan Air, a privately owned Iranian airline sanctioned by theUnited States for allegedly transporting weapons and military personnel on behalf of the IRGC.[7] Flights from Venezuela belonged to Conviasa and its subsidiary Emtrasur Cargo that bought planes used to be owned to Mahan Air, including aBoeing 747 that later drew international attention and investigations.[8][9]
In June 2022, authorities inArgentina grounded an EmtrasurBoeing 747 cargo plane atEzeiza International Airport nearBuenos Aires. The aircraft, which had once belonged to Mahan Air, was carrying 19 crew members, including five Iranians—one later identified as a former commander in the IRGC. The incident sparked concerns about possible covert activities and triggered a multinational investigation involving Paraguay, Argentina, and the United States.[10][11]
The Boeing 747 that later landed in Argentina, arrived atCiudad del Este, Paraguay, a region known for smuggling and illicit trade. Later, authorities in Paraguay opened an investigation into the flight and its cargo. Security officials expressed concern about the lack of transparency and irregularities in flight documentation and crew composition.[12]
Investigations indicate that the ghost flights may constitute a component of a broader strategy to circumvent international sanctions. Evidence suggests that gold was transported from Venezuela to Iran in exchange for technical assistance and fuel. Additional reports allege that the aircraft were used to transfer spare parts, surveillance technology, and other goods prohibited under existing sanctions frameworks.[13][14][15]
Security analysts and observers have raised concerns that these flights may be used to build and support networks tied to Hezbollah and the IRGC inLatin America, mainly in theTriple Frontier, where Paraguay,Brazil, and Argentina meet,[8][5] an area known for its terrorist-financing activities. Iran's use of civilian aircraft for covert purposes is not unprecedented, as organizations likeUnited Against Nuclear Iran have documented similar activities involving other airlines connected to the Iranian government.[15]
Following the 2022 incident, US authorities launched an investigation into the aircraft and related companies, including Spanish firms accused of illegal leasing. TheFBI, Argentine security forces, andINTERPOL worked jointly on the case.[16][17] Since then, Argentina and other Latin American nations have tightened oversight of foreign cargo flights, particularly those tied to sanctioned entities.[16][17]
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