Iran turning away from Russia? New fighter jets may be bought from China
Photo: Iran has decided to buy Chinese fighter jets instead of Russian ones (Getty Images)
Iran has decided to cancel its purchase of Russian Su-35 fighter jets. Instead, Tehran has intensified negotiations with China to acquire Chengdu J-10C multirole aircraft, The Moscow Times reports.
According to the outlet, Iran has intensified talks with China about buying Chengdu J-10C multirole fighters.
It is reported that Tehran aims to modernize its Air Force as soon as possible, and Chinese jets are currently seen as an affordable and cost-effective alternative to the Russian Su-35s.
It turns out that Iran has been interested in the J-10C for nearly two decades. Preparations for a contract to supply 150 fighters began back in 2015, but the deal stalled because Beijing insisted on payment in foreign currency, while Tehran, facing currency shortages, proposed barter payments in oil and gas.
The UN arms embargo on the Islamic Republic was also a problem. These restrictions were lifted in 2020, and negotiations resumed. At that time, the scale of the deal was reduced to 36 aircraft, but the parties again failed to agree on payment terms.
Now the situation has changed: on June 24, the US authorized China to officially purchase oil from Iran without the threat of sanctions, increasing the chances of finalizing the contract.
The United States and China recently signed a new trade agreement. The Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China confirmed this and shared details.
Several years ago, Iran reached agreements with Moscow to supply Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets, Mi-28 attack helicopters, and Yak-130 training aircraft.
