Tehran: The war with Israel last month severely impacted Iran's military capabilities, damaging its leadership, air defenses, and air force. Israel quickly gained aerial dominance, allowing the U.S. to strike Iran's nuclear sites. This conflict highlighted the limitations of Iran's alliance with Russia, which provided minimal diplomatic support during the 12-day war. Consequently, Iran is now looking to China for military hardware that Russia has failed to deliver.
According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, Iran's attempts to procure advanced Russian military equipment have been unsuccessful. Despite plans to acquire Sukhoi-35 fighter jets and Mi-28 helicopters, only a few trainer jets have been delivered. Production issues in Russia and diplomatic pressure from the Persian Gulf states, Israel, and the U.S. are cited as reasons for these delays. This has raised questions about Russia's reliability as an ally.
Iran is now reportedly considering Chinese military equipment, particularly the Chengdu J-10C multirole fighter jet, to modernize its outdated air force. Currently, Iran's fleet consists of aging aircraft from the U.S. and Soviet-era, maintained through improvisation. The J-10C, equipped with advanced avionics and capable of deploying long-range missiles, is seen as a credible competitor to Israel's F-35I fleet.
However, China is hesitant to supply Iran with advanced weaponry. Andrea Ghiselli, a lecturer at the University of Exeter, suggests that China prioritizes its relations with Washington and aims to increase its technological and economic self-sufficiency. Additionally, China's ties with Iran's regional rivals, particularly those in the Gulf Cooperation Council, further discourage military support for Tehran.
Experts believe China's support for Iran is more likely to come through continued oil purchases, which provide necessary revenue under sanctions. Farzan Sabet, a managing researcher at the Geneva Graduate Institute, pointed out that even if Iran could acquire Chinese fighter jets, maintaining aerial superiority would require more resources than Iran can afford under current sanctions.
The recent conflict has underscored Iran's strategic isolation, with both Russia and China prioritizing their own interests and relationships with Iran's adversaries. This leaves Tehran with limited options for foreign military partnerships.