▁ ▁and ▁F T - 7 ▁f igh ters ▁from ▁China . ▁While ▁a ▁welcome ▁rein for cement , ▁these ▁types ▁never ▁replaced ▁the ▁older , ▁U . S .- built ▁F - 4 ▁Ph ant oms ▁or ▁F - 1 4 ▁Tom c ats ▁( now ▁the ▁only ▁air ▁arm ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁to ▁continue ▁using ▁the ▁f ighter ), ▁or ▁even ▁North rop ▁F - 5 ▁T iger ▁II s . ▁Instead , ▁the ▁I RI AF ▁continued ▁efforts ▁to ▁maintain ▁these ▁types ▁in ▁service , ▁and ▁began ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁projects ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁to ▁ref urb ish ▁and ▁upgrade ▁them . ▁ ▁A ▁Russian ▁attempt ▁to ▁sell ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁Mi G - 2 7 s , ▁Mi G - 3 1 s , ▁and ▁T up ole v ▁Tu - 2 2 M s ▁to ▁Iran , ▁launched ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁was ▁spo iled ▁by ▁a ▁lack ▁of ▁interest ▁and ▁money ▁on ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁Iran . ▁ ▁Ira qi ▁aircraft ▁from ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁G ulf ▁War ▁Following ▁an ▁alleg ed ▁agreement ▁( no ▁proof ▁exists ▁for ▁it ) ▁between ▁the ▁reg imes ▁in ▁Bag hd ad ▁and ▁Te h ran , ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁a ▁significant ▁number ▁of ▁Ira qi ▁Air ▁Force ▁( I r AF ) ▁aircraft ▁were ▁ev acu ated ▁to ▁Iran ian ▁air fields , ▁to ▁avoid ▁destruction ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁Pers ian ▁G ulf ▁War . ▁The ▁agreement ▁was