I think this analysis of this Chinese pundit is interesting because it could show what will be the path of Iran's aerospace jet engine industry in the next future.
However, for Iran a thing is sure, it won't take 30 years. Because when the F-119 was designed in the early '80s there were no Supercomputers, no 3D printers. China started really the WS-15 program after 2009 when the US decided its "Pivot" politic - the name of their new geostatic stance against China-.
For Iran, honestly, I don't understand the choice of J-85 as the beginning. Because I don't think they will get western's help in foreseeable future. The only help that Iran can hope, it will come from the far east, if not from Russia.
In my view, North Korea will help Iran to design its RD-33, build, and to adapt to your Qaher. Once it will be done, Russia will rush and will ask for Royalties. At this stage, it will be reasonable to think that Russia will help Iran to design its own AL-31. Russia does not have 1000 options, either it helps Iran to design its engine, else China will be happy to help Iran.
Nowadays all Chinese fleet of J-10 and J-11 series -including J-15, and J-16 - are flying with indigenous engines, thus China has now thousands of AL-31, and they don't know what to do with. A good alternative would be to sell them to Iran. However, as Iran does have now a real industrial basis
Iranian elites will ask more in terms of technology transfer, because either they will be helped, or they will design these engines on their own. Maybe the mass production of J-85 is a demonstration and message to Russia and China. Especially if Iran intends to mass-produce the J-79 next.
I was amazed to learn Iran overhauled the SU-22, in order to launch cruise missiles. This is the absolute western nightmare. In that era even the Soviet Union was agreed with the West, not to sell state-of-the-art weapons to their client other than those belonging to Warsaw's Pact. Most of the soviet hardware was downgrade's weaponry. If Iran overhauled successfully the SU-22 in order to embed cruise missiles like the AS-X-15, it does mean Iranians succeeded to replace not only the structure but....the AL-21 too. It would mean Iran is capable to produce the AL-21?
PS- Please, need your help, can you tell me where I can find a good free youtube Chinese transcriptor. To transform Chinese youtube videos into Chinese text Thx for any help.