Again the S-300 has been produced since the late 70's. Iran received the latest and most modern export variant.
It's really not fair to compare Iran's S-300 batteries to those of Greece from 2 decades prior. It would be like comparing an F-16 from 1978 to one produced today. Same weapon, completely different technology behind it.
Russia is playing a careful balancing act with Iran. Of course they won't give Iran the most advanced hardware since it would make Iran powerful enough to challenge their own influence.
Also if Russia gave Iran the most advanced technology, it might lead to the USA and EU sanctioning Russia. They want to arm Iran but still stay under the radar.
In regards to China, tensions with the US are increasing and they are currently experiencing an energy crisis, along with economic issues in the real estate sector.
Iran wanted to trade oil for jets and considering the circumstances, such trade seems more likely than ever. Keep in mind that if China does go to war in the South China Sea they will need a large stockpile of oil and they will need Iran to have the capability to fend off military/economic pressure so that Iran can continually supply China. Therefore selling Iran the J-10 in exchange for Iranian oil makes more sense now than ever before.
I do agree that Iran would be better off by allowing more individual freedoms and by implementing a more pragmatic foreign policy. However at the moment it is what it is.
It's really not fair to compare Iran's S-300 batteries to those of Greece from 2 decades prior. It would be like comparing an F-16 from 1978 to one produced today. Same weapon, completely different technology behind it.
Russia is playing a careful balancing act with Iran. Of course they won't give Iran the most advanced hardware since it would make Iran powerful enough to challenge their own influence.
Also if Russia gave Iran the most advanced technology, it might lead to the USA and EU sanctioning Russia. They want to arm Iran but still stay under the radar.
In regards to China, tensions with the US are increasing and they are currently experiencing an energy crisis, along with economic issues in the real estate sector.
Iran wanted to trade oil for jets and considering the circumstances, such trade seems more likely than ever. Keep in mind that if China does go to war in the South China Sea they will need a large stockpile of oil and they will need Iran to have the capability to fend off military/economic pressure so that Iran can continually supply China. Therefore selling Iran the J-10 in exchange for Iranian oil makes more sense now than ever before.
I do agree that Iran would be better off by allowing more individual freedoms and by implementing a more pragmatic foreign policy. However at the moment it is what it is.
I don't believe that Russia offered Iran any S-400 and even took a decade and court action to get the outdated and questionable S-300 which the Greeks have had since the 90's and NATO has full knowledge of their capability or lack of it as they have never been tested in combat. However, I do agree that Russia today is feeling encircled and threatened by US and NATO and may be more amenable to sell Iran some modern weaponry, perhaps the older SU-30, but I would not hold my breath. China largely operates on economic interest and is a big buyer of Saudi and other western vassal Arab states oil, so I doubt it that China will even sell the J-10 to Iran. The mullahs have also mishandled Iranian foreign and strategic policies to an art form and failed to take advantage of the post Soviet era. Iran has a pretty educated population and a very skilled diaspora, but as long as the social restrictions and stifling domestic environment continues attracting skilled Iranians to develop critical technologies remains limited. Also the economic pressure imposed by the US and EU limits Iran's capacity to obtain modern technology and resources needed for mass aircraft manufacture.