Iran on the verge of purchasing Chinese anti-ship missiles

Iran is close to signing a contract with China to purchase anti-ship cruise missiles, Reuters reports, as the US is increasing its naval presence off the coast of Iran.

Negotiations on Chinese missiles CM-302 are nearing completion, although the delivery schedule has not been announced.

“If Iran obtains supersonic missiles to attack ships in this area, it will completely change the situation,” said Danny Zitrinovich, a former Israeli intelligence officer and now a senior researcher on Iran at the National Security Institute in Israel. “These missiles are very difficult to intercept.”

Negotiations began at least two years ago, but accelerated after the US-backed 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June. Senior Iranian officials, including Deputy Defense Minister Masoud Oraei, visited China as negotiations progressed last summer.

Iran has military agreements and security arrangements with its allies, and now is the right time to use these agreements, said a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry.