▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁I RI AF ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁obtain ▁limited ▁amounts ▁of ▁spare ▁parts ▁and ▁weapons ▁for ▁its ▁American - made ▁aircraft , ▁when ▁Iran ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁buy ▁American ▁spare ▁parts ▁and ▁weapons ▁for ▁its ▁armed ▁forces , ▁during ▁the ▁Iran – Cont ra ▁affair . ▁Del iver ies ▁came ▁via ▁Israel ▁and ▁later , ▁from ▁the ▁USA . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁the ▁I RI AF ▁found ▁itself ▁confront ed ▁by ▁an ▁ever - bet ter ▁organized ▁and ▁equ ipped ▁oppon ent , ▁as ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁Air ▁force — re in for ced ▁by ▁deliver ies ▁of ▁advanced ▁f ighter - b om bers ▁from ▁France ▁and ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union — launch ed ▁numerous ▁off ens ives ▁against ▁Iran ian ▁population ▁cent res , ▁industrial ▁infrastr uct ures , ▁power pl ants , ▁and ▁oil - export ▁hub s . ▁These ▁became ▁better ▁known ▁as ▁" The ▁T ank er ▁War " ▁and ▁" The ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁C ities ". ▁To ▁defend ▁against ▁an ▁increasing ▁number ▁of ▁Ira qi ▁air ▁strik es , ▁the ▁I RI AF ▁lean ed ▁heavily ▁on ▁its ▁large ▁fleet ▁of ▁Gr um man ▁F - 1 4 ▁Tom cat ▁air ▁superior ity ▁f igh ters . ▁Tom c ats ▁were ▁mainly ▁deployed ▁in ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁strateg ically ▁important ▁Kh arg ▁Island ▁( main ▁hub ▁for ▁Iran ian ▁oil ▁exports ), ▁and ▁Te h ran . ▁Over ▁ 3 0 0 ▁air