Iran closes in on 'game changing' deal with China to buy supersonic missiles
The advanced CM-302 missiles would enhance Iran's strike capabilities as they are designed to evade shipborne defences by flying low and fast
Iran is close to finalising a deal to purchase anti-ship cruise missiles from China.
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Senior Iranian officials visited China as negotiations for the supersonic missile systems accelerated following the 12-day war between Israel and Iran.
The advanced CM-302 missiles would enhance Iran's strike capabilities as they are designed to evade shipborne defences by flying low and fast.
It is not known how many missiles are included in the deal.
“It’s a complete game changer if Iran has supersonic capability to attack ships in the area,” said Danny Citrinowicz, a senior Iran researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, told Reuters.
“These missiles are very difficult to intercept.”
Ahead of Donald Trump's State of the Union speech, all eyes were on the President to see whether he had decided to launch military action in Iran.
Mr Trump's team are currently locked in talks with the Iranian government to reach a deal over the Middle Eastern nation's nuclear programme.
The President has repeatedly threatened to strike the nation if they do not agree to a deal - and there is a huge US military buildup in the region.
During his speech, Trump did not make any substantive announcements on Iran, but did say he would "never allow the number one state sponsor of terror to have a nuclear weapon".
He also said that his "preference was diplomacy" in solving the issue.
Iran has said that "now is an appropriate time" to call in its military agreements with allies.
An Iranian foreign ministry official told Reuters: “Iran has military and security agreements with its allies, and now is an appropriate time to make use of these agreements."
China's Foreign Ministry has denied the existence of any deal.