Engine develp
Can Iran now buy Aircraft from Russia and China?
yes
Russians have the whole fleet of their MiG-29s free which Iran can acquire with upgrades in a short span of time. Moreover, Iran can place orders of 100+ MiG-35s as well. Also, they can acquire Sukhoi Su-24 from current & past operators.
This is not in their interest (at least at this quantities). There are several reasons for that.
1.) They learned that in a war they must be able to rely on their own ressources even if systems are underperformed. This behaviour have several big advantages:
a.) more Political independence during a conflict due to lower dependencie on third parties wich results in more room for maneuver in frame of own interests
b.)Total Control of production, output and more attention to own needs.
c.)Long term effect: Creating very important experiences for future developments.
d.) big part of moneyflow cycle will stay inside the country. Strenghten of domestic industry, production and economy during wartime. Many new employees will work in the own industry.
e.) Supply Routes can be cut so easily. There is no need for Iran to import end products. Importing some basic initial products is much easier, and even if no acsess , they will be easier to produce.
Another question is: What is the main role of an Airforce?
Air supriority, reconnaissance and other missions only serve one purpose:
to incapacitate the enemy on the ground. This goal is reached on Strategic and tactical level.
Iran already fullfills this capacity with its precisition missiles and Drones with proof of work.
Fighter jets are for Iran more like a "Nice to have" tool but not a "must have"
Missiles and drones remember me little bit to aircraft carriers before the second world war.
during this time Aircraft carriers were seen as accessories to support the Battleships and as a still developing future technology. But after Pearl harbor attack, Midway and sinking of the most advanced Battleship at this time, the Yamato of the Imperial Japanese fleet by very outdated torpedo bombers from WW1 era , the strategic roles changed and Aircraft carriers became the Heart of the US Navy.
I believe that irans strategic orientation to use missiles and drones as primary weapons instead of fighter jets is maybe little bit early bu