Iran is close to an agreement with China to buy anti-ship cruise missiles, Reuters reported, citing six sources familiar with the negotiations.
The information comes amid tensions between the US and Iran, with the US deploying naval forces near the Iranian coast ahead of possible strikes against the country.
The deal for the Chinese-made CM-302 missiles is nearing completion, although a delivery date has not yet been agreed.
The supersonic missiles have a range of about 290 km and are designed to bypass ship defenses by flying low and fast. Their deployment would significantly enhance Iran's strike capabilities and pose a threat to U.S. naval forces in the region, two experts said.
Negotiations with China to purchase the missile weapons systems, which began at least two years ago, accelerated sharply after the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025.
As the talks entered their final stages last summer, senior Iranian military and government officials traveled to China, including Massoud Oraei, Iran's deputy defense minister, according to two of the security officials. Oraei's visit was not made public.
Dani Citrinovich, a former Israeli intelligence officer and now a senior Iran researcher at the Israeli think tank the Institute for National Security Studies, commented on the Iran-China deal, explaining that "it's a game-changer if Iran has a hypersonic capability to attack ships in the region." and specified that these missiles are very difficult to intercept. He said "China does not want to see a pro-Western regime in Iran" because that would be a threat to Beijing's interests.
"Reuters" could not determine how many missiles were included in the potential deal, how much Iran had agreed to pay or whether China would agree to the deal now, given the heightened tensions in the region.
"Iran has military and security agreements with its allies and now is the right time to take advantage of these agreements," an Iranian Foreign Ministry official told Reuters.
When asked by "Reuters" The White House has not commented directly on the deal, but has recalled US President Donald Trump's words that "we will either make a deal or we will have to do something very difficult, like last time".
The missiles would be among the most advanced military equipment to be transferred to Iran from China, with the agreement also defying a UN arms embargo first imposed in 2006.
The potential sale would highlight deepening military ties between China and Iran at a time of heightened regional tensions, complicating US efforts to contain Iran's missile programme and limit its nuclear activities. This would also signal China's growing willingness to assert itself in a region long dominated by US military power.
The six sources also reported that Iran is in talks to acquire Chinese surface-to-air missile systems, so-called man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS), anti-ballistic weapons and anti-satellite weapons.