Iran is nearing an agreement with China to purchase advanced supersonic anti-ship missiles, according to multiple sources familiar with the negotiations, a move that could significantly alter the military balance in the Persian Gulf just as the United States concentrates major naval forces near Iran’s coastline.
The talks centre on the Chinese-made CM-302 cruise missile, a supersonic system with a range of roughly 290 kilometres. Designed to skim close to the sea surface at high speed, the missile is built to complicate interception by ship-based air defences. Two weapons specialists said its deployment would substantially strengthen Iran’s ability to threaten U.S. and allied naval vessels operating in regional waters.
Six people with direct knowledge of the discussions said negotiations began at least two years ago but gained momentum after the brief yet intense Israel-Iran war in June. During the final stages last summer, senior Iranian military and government officials travelled to China, including deputy defence minister Massoud Oraei, according to security officials briefed on the visit.
Reuters could not establish how many missiles Iran aims to buy, the value of the potential deal or when deliveries might occur. It also remains unclear whether Beijing will proceed given the heightened risk of escalation in the Middle East.
An Iranian foreign ministry official said Tehran maintains military agreements with its allies and believes “now is an appropriate time” to activate them. China’s foreign ministry later said it was not aware of any missile sale talks, while its defence ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
The White House declined to address the reported negotiations directly. A U.S. official reiterated that President Donald Trump had warned Iran to reach a nuclear agreement or face “very tough” consequences.
The CM-302 would represent one of the most sophisticated weapons systems China has ever transferred to Iran, potentially defying renewed United Nations restrictions on arms exports to Tehran. A UN embargo first imposed in 2006 was eased under the 2015 nuclear deal, then reimposed last September after its collapse.
The prospective deal highlights the deepening strategic alignment between China and Iran at a sensitive moment. China, Iran and Russia conduct regular joint naval exercises, and Beijing has emerged as a key political and economic partner for Tehran as Western pressure has intensified.
Washington has already sanctioned several Chinese firms for allegedly supplying materials used in Iran’s missile programmes. Beijing has rejected those accusations, insisting it enforces export controls on sensitive goods.
The timing is especially delicate. The U.S. has assembled an armada within striking distance of Iran, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group, with the USS Gerald R. Ford also moving toward the region. Together, the carriers can deploy more than 150 aircraft and thousands of personnel.
Analysts say Iran views the missile purchase as a way to rebuild an arsenal weakened by last year’s fighting. Pieter Wezeman of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute described the CM-302 as a major qualitative upgrade for Iran’s naval strike capability.
China’s state-owned defence firm CASIC markets the missile as capable of sinking large surface combatants, including aircraft carriers, and adaptable for launch from ships, aircraft or mobile land platforms. It can also strike land targets.
Sources say Iran is simultaneously exploring other Chinese systems, including surface-to-air missiles, anti-ballistic defences and anti-satellite weapons.
For Washington, the prospect of Iran fielding supersonic anti-ship missiles adds urgency to an already volatile standoff. For Beijing, it underscores a willingness to push back against U.S. dominance in a region critical to global energy flows. As diplomacy falters and military posturing intensifies, the missile talks signal how rapidly the strategic landscape around Iran may be shifting.
