In 1989 IQAF sent 10 MiG-23ML to Yugoslavia for overhaul and intense maintenance. During the Gulf War II, these airframes were kept stored in Serbia until -and according to some sources -they were serviced on 2002.
One of these IqAF Floggers were put in display outdoor infront of the main hall of the Aviation Museum in Belgrade until a decision is made to shift it somewhere else, I'm not sure when this exactly took place.
Further interesting explanation by J. Nijmeijer / ACIG:
"10 were Iraqi AF MiG-23ML aircraft. Serials are: 23252, 23260, 23267, 23269 (c/n 25056, l/n 17530), 23278, 23279, 23282, 23288, 23290 and 23292.
Out of these aircraft, only 23269 has been overhauled. This MiG-23ML flew to Zeljava AB and then to Batajnica AB. The aircraft was handed over to Moma Stanojlovic aircraft repair plant. while the other MiG-23ML aircraft were put in storage at the 160th Logistic Support Base at Pancevo near Belgrade. For some time, 23269 formed part of the YAF Museum exhibition"
There have been numerous 'stranded' Migs and Sukhois littered around Eastern Europe over the last few years from various unstable regimes which have expired, defaulted on payment, or become subject to sanctions.This aircraft will have incurred storage and possibly servicing expenditure if Belgrade got that far with it.What better way to defray such costs by selling said aircraft to one of the remaining users of the Mig-23.Quite likely still flying over Middle Eastern skies somewhere...
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