Following significant losses during the 12-day military confrontation with Israel, Iran has resumed active negotiations with China regarding the purchase of Chengdu J-10C multi-role fighter jets, reports the Baltimore Chronicle citing The Moscow Times.
According to the source, Iran is aiming to quickly modernize its air force and sees the Chinese jets as a more affordable alternative to the Russian Su-35. The J-10C is a single-engine, multi-role fighter jet considered a budget-friendly counterpart to Western models like the F-16V and Sweden’s Gripen E. The cost per aircraft ranges from $60 million in basic configuration to $90 million with weapons, spare parts, training, and warranty support.
In 2023, Iran signed a contract with Russia to receive 50 Su-35 fighter jets but received only four. The rest of the deliveries were halted due to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
This is not Iran’s first attempt to acquire J-10Cs. In 2015, Tehran discussed a potential purchase of up to 150 of the jets. However, the deal fell through due to currency restrictions and a United Nations arms embargo. China insisted on payment in hard currency, while Iran offered barter in the form of oil and gas. Although the embargo was lifted in 2020 and talks resumed, the scope had shrunk to 36 jets — yet both sides failed to agree on payment terms again.
The chances of a successful deal have now significantly improved: on June 24, the United States allowed China to officially purchase Iranian oil without the threat of secondary sanctions.
According to Military Balance 2025, prior to the 12-day war with Israel, Iran’s air force included around 150 fighter jets, most of which were outdated American-made models — F-4 Phantom II, F-5E/F Tiger II, and F-14A Tomcat — delivered before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Additionally, up to 18 Soviet-era MiG-29s remained in service, though most were partially or completely inoperable due to a lack of maintenance.
During the war with Israel and subsequent U.S. strikes, Iran lost up to 30% of its aging aircraft fleet, according to the Tasnim agency.
On June 23, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the meeting, Araghchi emphasized the importance of close consultations with Russia amid the current dangerous circumstances, noting that Tehran and Moscow “have always shared concerns, worries, and adversaries.”
Earlier we wrote that UK, Italy, and Japan join forces to build sixth-generation fighter jet.