Iran finalizes purchase of supersonic missiles from China amid military escalation with the US
Tehran has been negotiating the agreement for two years, but accelerated talks after the twelve-day war in June.
BarcelonaIran is close to finalizing a deal with China for the purchase of supersonic missiles, according to Reuters.six sources with knowledge of the negotiations. This comes amid heightened military tensions with the United States, in which Washington has deployed several ships to the region.The purchase is especially significant, particularly because the missiles Tehran will acquire are designed to evade enemy ship defenses by flying at low altitude and high speed. Although the signing of the agreement is imminent, according to the cited sources, a delivery date for the weaponry has not yet been finalized. Talks with China to purchase this weaponry began at least two years ago. But they accelerated significantly after the Twelve-day war with Israeland theUS bombing of nuclear facilities Iranians, in support of Tel Aviv. To accelerate negotiations on the agreement, several high-ranking Iranian military and government officials traveled to China this summer, including Massoud Oraei, Iran's Deputy Defense Minister.
Details of the agreement, such as how many missiles Beijing plans to send to Tehran or the price agreed upon by the two powers, are currently unknown. Sources cited by Reuters, Three Iranian security officials and three others briefed on the talks by the Iranian government indicate that the missiles in question are CM-302s, which can cover distances of 290 kilometers. However, they have not clarified whether China plans to proceed with the agreement despite the escalating military tensions in the region. Should the sale ultimately go through, these missiles would be among the most advanced that China has ever transferred to Iran. The sale would violate the UN arms embargo on Tehran, which, after a decade, was reinstated in September, and would represent a boost to ties between China and Iran. The military escalation and the threat of a "limited" attack
In recent weeks, the US has deployed fifteen ships and two aircraft carriers in the waters near Iran. With a fleet very similar to the one the White House deployed off the coast of Venezuela before attacking the country to capture Nicolás Maduro, Washington is trying to force Tehran to abandon its nuclear program. The US and Iran have negotiated on several occasions to limit Tehran's nuclear capabilities, but have not reached any agreement.
The last official talks were in Geneva last week. At that time, Iran announced a "general understanding" on the main points of negotiation with the US. But in just over 48 hours, what seemed like progress fizzled out. After some US media outlets began reporting on it, Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that he is considering carrying out a "limited" military strike against Iran. With the US fleet deployed primarily in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea, Iran has intensified military exercises and training in the region, some jointly with Russia. To sustain the regime in the event of an attack, the Supreme Leader of the Ayatollahs' regime, Ali Khamenei, has outlined four levels of succession for military, government, and high-ranking official positions in the event of his death. However, both the US and Iran insist that the diplomatic path remains open, and Trump has given Iran fifteen days to reach an agreement.