Editing HESA Azarakhsh (section)

==Development==
In April 1997 Iranian Brigadier General Arasteh, a deputy head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, declared that Iran had successfully designed, constructed and tested its first fighter aircraft. By late 1997 it was reported that Iran had begun producing the aircraft <ref name="Military Factory.com_Azarakhsh" /> and by mid-2000 four aircraft were said to be undergoing operational tests, with production proceeding at a rate of around ten aircraft per year{{Citation needed|date=September 2007}}.

On May 17, 2000, Iran's acting commander of the Air Force said that Azarakhsh had reached mass-production stage.<ref>[http://www.payvand.com/news/00/may/1098.html Pavyand.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404003235/http://www.payvand.com/news/00/may/1098.html |date=2022-04-04 }} Payvand's Iran News</ref> 
On August 5, 2007, Azarakhsh conducted a successful test flight.<ref>[http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-235/0708056117190330.htm Azarakhsh fighter conducts successful test flight] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014184134/http://irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-235/0708056117190330.htm |date=2007-10-14 }} IRNA</ref> On August 6, 2007, Ministry of Defense Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar said, "<nowiki>[Azarakhsh]</nowiki> is now at the stage of industrial production and its mass production will start in the future."<ref>[http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-235/0708067971123959.htm New fighter plane tested successfully: Defense minister] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014184141/http://irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-235/0708067971123959.htm |date=2007-10-14 }} IRNA</ref>