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When the Israeli Air Force destroyed two F-14 fighter jets on an Iranian airbase on June 16, many Americans asked the same question:
How did Iran—a sworn enemy of both the United States and Israel—end up with top-tier American-made military aircraft?
The answer, as uncomfortable as it is, should serve as a powerful warning. The U.S. sold those F-14s to Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Iran was ruled by the Shah and seen as a strategic American ally in the region. But when the Shah’s regime fell and Islamic extremists seized power, those very same fighter jets fell into the hands of America’s adversaries.
This is not ancient history. It is a lesson in the long-term risks of arming authoritarian regimes—especially in the volatile Middle East—and it is more relevant than ever today.
In recent years, the U.S. has agreed to sell its most advanced aircraft, the F-35 stealth fighter, to countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Bahrain and other authoritarian regimes in the Gulf have also expressed interest in acquiring similar technology. These sales may be seen as diplomatic wins or short-term economic boons, but they represent profound strategic risks.
America’s most sophisticated military assets should not be placed in the hands of authoritarian rulers whose grip on power is inherently unstable. Today’s “friendly” regime can become tomorrow’s adversary. As we saw in Iran, it only takes a single revolution or coup for U.S.-made weapons to be used against American interests—or those of our allies.
The case of Iran’s F-14s, destroyed just days ago by the Israeli military, should not be written off as a Cold War relic. Those aircraft, once symbols of U.S.-Iranian partnership, became potential threats that had to be neutralized by force. We cannot afford to let history repeat itself.
Those who advocate for arming the Middle East’s dictators often point to temporary alignments of interest. They cite common enemies like Iran or extremist groups. They highlight economic opportunities for American defense contractors. But this kind of thinking is dangerously shortsighted.
What happens when these regimes fall? What if tomorrow’s rulers in Abu Dhabi or Manama are not as cooperative with Washington as today’s? Will they hand back the F-35s and other advanced systems, out of goodwill? It’s highly unlikely. And once those weapons are in foreign hands, they can be reverse-engineered, sold to adversaries, or used to threaten American allies like Israel.
Critics may argue that withholding arms will drive these countries to other suppliers, like China or Russia. That may be a possible concern. But compromising our own national security—and that of our closest allies—is not a solution. U.S. foreign policy must be guided by long-term strategic interests, not short-term economic gain or political expediency.
America should prioritize partnerships with democratic allies—nations that share our values and are governed by rule of law. Israel is a prime example. Its democratic institutions, civilian oversight of the military, and deep cultural and political ties with the U.S. make it a far safer recipient of sensitive defense technology than any autocracy in the Gulf.
The events of June 16 should serve as a wake-up call to Congress. Lawmakers must act now to place strict limits on the sale of advanced weapons systems to authoritarian regimes. This includes not only fighter jets but also missile systems, surveillance technology, and other high-grade military assets.
It is time to reconsider arms sales as a diplomatic tool. Instead of rewarding regimes that suppress dissent and limit freedoms, America should be promoting regional stability through stronger alliances with democratic partners, stricter export controls, and a renewed emphasis on human rights in our foreign policy decisions.
We cannot change the past. The F-14s sold to the Shah’s Iran may finally be gone now. But we can learn from those mistakes. Selling the world’s most advanced fighter jets to dictators may serve short-term strategic aims, but the long-term consequences can be catastrophic.
Let’s make sure that a few years from now, we are not asking how American-made F-35s ended up in enemy hands—and regretting the fact that we didn’t act when we had the chance.
Moshe Phillips is national chairman of Americans For A Safe Israel (www.AFSI.org), a leading pro-Israel advocacy and education organization.