Iran is reportedly close to finalising a deal with China to acquire CM-302 supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, a move that could significantly raise the threat to the United States and allied warships in the Gulf. The missile, with a range of about 290 km, is designed to fly low and fast to evade advanced ship defenses. Talks reportedly accelerated after last year’s Israel-Iran conflict, with senior Iranian officials traveling to Beijing. The potential transfer comes as Washington builds up forces in the region and President Donald Trump warns Tehran of tougher consequences if nuclear negotiations fail.