Tehran in Advanced Talks With Beijing on CM-302 Missile Purchase

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Tehran: Iran is close to finalising an agreement with China for the purchase of Chinese-made CM-302 supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, according to six people familiar with the negotiations according to Reuters. The talks have reached an advanced stage, though no delivery schedule has been set, and come as the United States moves major naval assets closer to the Iranian coastline.

The CM-302 is a high-speed, low-flying missile with an estimated range of about 290 kilometres, designed to penetrate shipborne air-defence systems. Weapons specialists said the system would markedly strengthen Iran’s ability to target vessels at sea and increase the risks facing U.S. and allied naval forces operating in nearby waters.

Sources said discussions with Beijing began more than two years ago but accelerated after the brief conflict between Iran and Israel in mid-2025. As negotiations entered their final phase, senior Iranian officials, including deputy defence minister Massoud Oraei, travelled to China to advance the talks, people briefed on the matter said.

An Iranian foreign ministry official told Reuters the country was now seeking to activate military and security understandings with its partners. China’s foreign ministry, however, said it was not aware of any proposed missile sale, while its defence ministry declined to comment. The White House also avoided addressing the reported negotiations directly, as U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly warned Tehran it must reach a nuclear agreement within days or face possible military action.

If concluded, the transaction would represent one of the most advanced weapons transfers from China to Iran in decades and would run against a United Nations arms embargo that was reimposed last year. The move would underline expanding military links between the two countries and further complicate Western efforts to limit Iran’s missile development and regional influence.

Experts believe the acquisition would help rebuild Iran’s depleted arsenal following last year’s fighting. Pieter Wezeman of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said the CM-302 would constitute a major upgrade for Iran’s naval strike capabilities, while the missile’s manufacturer, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, promotes the system as capable of being launched from ships, aircraft and mobile land platforms.

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