At Least Nine US C-17 Globemaster III Aircraft Spotted Moving To West Asia As Iran Nuclear Talks Continue

Open-source intelligence data is tracking a sustained movement of US C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft toward West Asia, a pattern observers say has been ongoing since January 2026 and has intensified amid stalled nuclear negotiations with Iran.

Flight tracking data compiled and shared by social media users indicates that at least nine C-17 Globemaster III aircraft are currently en route to the region. The uptick in military logistics activity has triggered widespread debate online, with many viewing it as the United States laying groundwork as diplomatic efforts over Iran’s nuclear programme remain unresolved.

The second round of nuclear negotiations, mediated by Oman, concluded on February 17 in Geneva without any major breakthrough. Washington has put forward a “zero uranium enrichment” clause, a demand that Tehran has so far resisted. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has maintained that “Nuclear energy is our undeniable right.”

Also Read: Geneva To Host Critical US-Iran Nuclear Negotiations This Thursday, Oman Confirms

Despite the deadlock, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the Conference on Disarmament that “a new window of opportunity has opened,” signalling that diplomatic channels remain active.

The C-17 Globemaster III is considered the backbone of US military logistics. According to Boeing, the aircraft is “a high-wing, four-engine transport that delivers large equipment, supplies and troops directly to small, austere airfields anywhere in the world.” Boeing describes it as proven “across every major operation since the 1990s,” combining long-range capability with short-field performance, oversized payload handling, and aerial refuelling to support tactical airlift, strategic delivery, and humanitarian relief.

Defence analysts note that the C-17 is particularly suited for force projection, capable of transporting large stockpiles and rapidly deploying troops. Comparable military buildups involving the aircraft were observed during the 2003 Iraq invasion and during the escalation of US military presence in Afghanistan.

The air transport movements come alongside a broader US military repositioning in the Middle East. President Donald Trump has ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford the world’s largest aircraft carrier to move to the region, where the USS Abraham Lincoln is already stationed.