There was a time when Iran Air flew nonstop from Tehran to New York. A gleaming 747SP touched down at JFK, a symbol of power, pride, and progress. That airline dreamed big: A380s, global expansion, a seat at the top table of aviation.

Now? Those dreams rot in the desert sun. Their average aircraft age is 29 years. Sanctions mean even buying two used A330s makes headlines. Mechanics keep seventeen jets flying with scavenged parts and endless improvisation. European skies are closed. Safety audits can't even reach them. Iran Air is trapped—between memory and machinery, between resilience and ruin.

So why are they still flying? What drives a nation to keep its flag carrier airborne at all costs? This is the story of an airline in freefall, and a people who refuse to let go. Because sometimes, flying isn’t about travel. It’s about survival.