LONDON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Iran is close to a deal with China to purchase anti‑ship cruise missiles, according to six people with knowledge of the negotiations, just as the United States deploys a vast naval force near the Iranian coast ahead of possible strikes on the Islamic Republic.
The deal for the Chinese‑made CM‑302 missiles is near completion, though no delivery date has been agreed, the people said. The supersonic missiles have a range of about 290 kilometres and are designed to evade shipborne defences by flying low and fast. Their deployment would significantly enhance Iran’s strike capabilities and pose a threat to provide protection against U.S. naval forces in the region, two weapons experts said
Weird, I’d have thought they had their own
They do but more doesn’t hurt
Depends which kind you mean. They have rockets, but this is a cruise missile. Technically a Shahed is a cruise missile, but it’s not jet powered and it’s definitely not supersonic.
I meant that ballistic one they lobbed at Israel in June 2025. Can’t find the details right now, but I distinctly recall it to be a short-middle range ballistic missile
Yeah, their rocketry expertise is good - they export it to other nations, actually. The point of moving away from ballistic missiles and their predictable trajectories here would be to avoid interception.
Good point about trajectory, thanks
Would the delivery take place quickly?
If China wants to, they can.
They did it for Pakistan when they asked for their domestic PL-15s and it led to huge success in the air.
They’re probably debating whether Iran can use them effectively or not. They don’t really have an airforce left, and ground launched missiles could be destroyed before they ever launch.
only if amazon delivers them. lol
it would arrive a month later all banged up, then stolen by porch pirates
Oh no, will anyone think of the poor imperial navy???
according to six people with knowledge
though no delivery date has been agreed, the people said
according to the six people with knowledge of the talks, including three officials who were briefed by the Iranian government as well as three security officials
The only person quoted in the entire story is
Danny Citrinowicz, a former Israeli intelligence officer and now senior Iran researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies think tank
Sounds like the cheerleaders want the war to start as soon as possible
IraqIran hasWMDsanti-ship missiles.
Hope they spring for express shipping.
This isn’t the hypersonic kind, to be clear. And I kinda doubt it will matter given how long they’ll take to deliver and how on the ropes Iran is.
Better buy fast, before the USA makes a move
