Iran has claimed that a passenger aircraft belonging to Mahan Air was damaged in a U.S. airstrike carried out on Monday (March 30) at Mashhad Airport.

According to Iranian officials, the aircraft was scheduled to travel to New Delhi later this week. Its mission was to bring back urgently needed medicines and humanitarian supplies from India for civilians in Iran. However, the reported strike at Mashhad Airport has now put that mission in doubt.

The information was reported on Tuesday (March 31) by the Press Trust of India (PTI). So far, U.S. authorities have neither confirmed nor denied involvement in the alleged attack.

The damaged aircraft was expected to land in New Delhi on April 1. Earlier, on March 18, India had sent its first shipment of medical supplies to Iran through the Iranian Red Crescent Society. The Iranian embassy in New Delhi had expressed gratitude to India for this humanitarian assistance.

Amid the ongoing conflict, Iran is facing a serious shortage of medicines, making such aid efforts critically important. Mahan Air, a private Iranian airline, operates flights across the Middle East, Asia, and South Asia.

Since the escalation of tensions in the region on February 28, Iranian officials say U.S.-Israeli forces have been targeting both strategic and civilian sites. They claim the strike at Mashhad Airport caused structural damage to the aircraft, rendering it unfit for operation.

Tehran has condemned the incident, calling it a violation of international law, especially given the aircraft’s humanitarian role. It remains unclear whether the plane can be repaired and returned to service.

Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict has repeatedly disrupted humanitarian exchanges between India and Iran. Although India’s assistance is viewed as a humanitarian effort, regional tensions continue to slow the process. If the aircraft fails to complete its mission on time, Iran’s healthcare system could face further strain. The U.S. administration has yet to comment on the reported strike, while Iran has strongly denounced the incident.