Iran nears agreement with China on purchase of supersonic anti-ship missiles
According to six people familiar with the negotiations, Iran is close to concluding an agreement with China to purchase Chinese-made CM-302 anti-ship cruise missiles. The delivery date has not yet been agreed.
The CM-302 are supersonic missiles with a range of about 290 kilometres. They are designed to break through ship defences by flying at low altitude and high speed. According to two weapons experts, their deployment would significantly enhance Iran's strike capabilities and pose a threat to US naval forces in the region.
Negotiations on the purchase of these systems began at least two years ago and intensified sharply after the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June. Last summer, when the negotiations entered their final stage, senior Iranian officials, including Deputy Defence Minister Massoud Oraei, travelled to China.
It is unknown how many missiles are involved, how much Iran has agreed to pay, and whether the deal will go through given the escalating situation in the region.
A representative of the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the country has military and security agreements with its allies and that now is the right time to use them. After the publication of the article, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of any negotiations on the sale of missiles. The Chinese Defence Ministry did not comment.
The White House did not directly comment on the negotiations between Iran and China. An administration official said that US President Donald Trump had made it clear that either an agreement would be reached or the US would take tough action, referring to the current standoff with Iran. On 19 February, Trump said he was giving Iran 10 days to reach an agreement on its nuclear programme, otherwise military action would be possible.
The potential agreement comes amid a concentration of American forces near Iran. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group are in the region, and the USS Gerald R. Ford is on its way with escort ships. Together, these forces could number more than 5,000 military personnel and 150 aircraft.
The CM-302 is one of the most advanced weapons systems that China can transfer to Iran. According to the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the missile is capable of striking aircraft carriers and destroyers, as well as ground targets. The system can be installed on ships, aircraft or mobile ground platforms.
In addition, Iran is negotiating the purchase of Chinese anti-aircraft missile systems, portable anti-aircraft missile systems, anti-ballistic and anti-satellite systems, the interlocutors said.
China was a major supplier of weapons to Iran in the 1980s, but large-scale deliveries declined in the late 1990s under international pressure. In recent years, the US has accused Chinese companies of supplying materials related to Iran's missile programmes, but has not made any public accusations regarding the transfer of complete missile systems.
