Russia is secretly helping Iran develop hypersonic cruise missiles capable of threatening U.S. warships in the Middle East, according to a media report.
اضافة اعلان
The report, published by the Financial Times, cited experts as saying that the transfer of such sensitive military technology to Tehran could not have taken place without the approval of Russia’s leadership.
The program, codenamed “C340L,” began in 2023 and continued during the U.S. war against Iran.
The initiative aims to help Iran develop a ramjet propulsion system, an engine that enables a cruise missile to fly at supersonic speeds.
Jim Lamson, a former military analyst at the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, said: “For the Iranians, this would give them a qualitatively new strategic weapons system capable of threatening U.S. Navy ships.”
Supersonic cruise missiles are extremely difficult to intercept because they fly at low altitudes, hugging the ground to remain undetected by radar, at speeds of up to 2,200 miles per hour.
Although Iran has developed and tested a ramjet propulsion system, there is no evidence that it has been used operationally.
Iranian missile expert Fabian Hinz said: “This is a transfer of highly sensitive strategic military technology from Russia, which the Iranians have sought for decades.”
He added: “A program of this kind requires political approval from Russia’s leadership.”
Information indicates that Russia’s state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport coordinated the project with NPO Mashinostroyenia, a Russian missile manufacturer that has been under U.S. sanctions since 2014.
The cooperation comes within the framework of a broader military partnership between the two countries. Iran has supplied Moscow with Shahed suicide drones used to strike Ukrainian cities at night, while reports have said Russia provided Tehran with intelligence to help it target U.S. bases in the Middle East.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, on Tuesday that Moscow was “trying to provide the assistance you need during this difficult period” and that it was “supplying you with the goods you need during the war.”
The developments came amid an escalation in the confrontation between the United States and Iran since the weekend, following more than a month of relative calm. On Sunday, the United States targeted two Iranian missile launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, before carrying out additional strikes on Tuesday. Iran responded by launching drones and missiles at U.S. targets.
Source: Agencies
