Iran's supposed Zolfaqar-3 MBT actually captured Abrams?

[Abraham Gubler]

If the Iranians are doing anything in the way of tank developement for the most part they've been trying to their current tanks (Chieftains and M48 and 60 Pattons)in working order.Let's also not forget that before the Sha was overthorne in 1979 the Iranian Army was set to be a joint development program with the British on a tank that we know today as the Challenger and that during the 1980s the Soviets tried to sell T-72s to Iran during the Iran-Iraq war also some Warsaw Pact coungtries also tried to sell T-72s to Iraq and Iran is also considdering possibly purchasing armor from the PRC.

The level of Iranian involvement in the development of the Shir 2, aka Challenger, was signing the cheques. They did have plans to assemble in Iran but this would be similar to the Egyptian M1 program.

The Zolfaquar to me just looks like an all welded M60 tank. With spaced armour cavities filled without whatever the Iranians can build along BURLINGTON lines.

 

[nelsa]

Chieftain MBT has nothing with any Zulfikar variant in fact Iranians never got satisfied with that MBT,in their article about Mobarez(hevy upgrade of chieftain) you can find info about level of upgrade which is almost newly produced MBT because it was so poor so they must biuld in new engine and transmision so Mobarez can make a turn in 360 deegres unlike orginal,also FCS was very poor ,now mobarez got thruly ability to lock on and shoot in the move,also it got laser range finderand completly new FCS and also it got some more armore.So no it has nothing with Zulfikar,Zulfikar 1 was devloped from M-60 and T-72,in fact first protipe don't have even auto loader and I sow image of one of the first 3 prototype and interior is almost the same like m-60 without auto loader with 105 mm gun..etc.Later Z-1 got 125 mm gun,auto loader and new FCS and Z-1 weights only 36-40 t.
Z-2 and Z-3 are quite diferent than Z-1,it is much hevyer,with more protection and it got latest variant of Iranian made FCS,It has same 125 mm gun and auto loader like T-72Sand it is longer than Z-1 or T-72, also have 7 wheels, one more than Z-1 or T-72 and only someone without eyes can say this is captured Abrams,there is also few images of Z-3 hull and turet avilable .