To countering OWA UAVs seems to be more than useful.
But Yak130 has no IRST and no radar. That would suggest that;
or Iran got a customized version of Yak130 or it has any kind of real time data sharing (aka data link) for such missions.
It is more than probably that other units intervened in such missions. In Biryand AB you can see three Kowsar/Saeghe/F5 with short range IR missiles.
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I don´t want to defend mullahs and other high rank officials... But as you appointed very well, the first expense it is indirectly proportional to the second one (modern IRIAF). IMO IRI didn´t invest in a real and modern air force... because most of the money... went to IRGCF missile force. And that decision was correct. Not enough to protect iranian air space but correct. I am suspicious that is why IRI central bank have sold a lot of gold because the purchase of Su35 and other assets (S400?). But that is just a guessing.