Iran is close to finalising a deal with China to purchase advanced anti-ship cruise missiles, Reuters reported, citing six people with knowledge of the negotiations, at a time when the United States is deploying significant naval forces near the Iranian coast amid escalating tensions.
The proposed deal involves the Chinese-made CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles, which have a reported range of about 290 km and are designed to evade shipborne defences by flying low and fast. Two weapons experts cited by Reuters said that the missiles would significantly boost Iran’s ability to target naval assets in the region.
