![\"Iranian](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/f77626d96a5dc80662733dfa71aef99d.png\")
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\n Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin (Photo: Sputnik\/Kristina Solovyova\/Pool via REUTERS)\n <\/p>\n
Russia has been secretly helping Iran develop advanced supersonic cruise missiles in one of the most significant known transfers of strategic military technology from Moscow to Tehran, The Financial Times<\/a> reported <\/a>on September 1.<\/p>\n The outlet stated that the multiyear covert program, codenamed C430L, has enlisted some of Russia\u2019s most experienced missile specialists to help Iran develop a new class of weapon capable of threatening U.S. aircraft carriers and other warships in the middle east.<\/p>\n The Financial Times, citing leaked Russian correspondence, travel records, and analysis of military patents, wrote that the program began in 2023 and continued into the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.\u00a0<\/p>\n The main purpose of C430L is to help Iran to develop a ramjet propulsion system, an engine that allows a cruise missile to sustain flight at several times the speed of sound.<\/p>\n Missile and military experts said the technology was almost certainly intended for anti-\u200bship and land-\u200battack cruise missiles.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the transfer of a highly strategically sensitive military technology from Russia that the Iranians have wanted to acquire for decades,\u201d expert on Iranian missiles and senior analyst with Conflict Armament Research Fabian Hinz said. \u201cA program like this would require political clearance from the very top in Russia.\u201d<\/p>\n FT clarified that Supersonic cruise missiles combine speed with the ability to fly at low altitude, shortening the time available for sophisticated air and missile defenses to detect and engage them.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is especially relevant for Iran in the Gulf, where the U.S. and its regional allies operate advanced land- and sea-based defense systems,\u201d the article explained.<\/p>\n Iran has built and flight-\u200btested the ramjet propulsion system, although there is no evidence that a Russian-\u200bassisted supersonic cruise missile has yet been deployed.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the Iranians, this would give them a qualitatively new strategic weapon system that could threaten U.S. Navy vessels,\u201d said Jim Lamson, a former Iran-\u200bfocused military analyst with the CIA now at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.<\/p>\n The leaked correspondence shows that talks over the program continued in the summer of 2026.<\/p>\n FT stated that the program was arranged by Rosoboronexport, Russia\u2019s state arms exporter, which co-\u200bordinated the project with NPO Mashinostroyenia.<\/p>\n The U.S. sanctioned NPO Mashinostroyenia in 2014, describing it as a major Russian rocketry company responsible for cruise missile systems launched from ships, submarines, and ground platforms, as well as work supporting Russia\u2019s strategic nuclear forces, including intercontinental ballistic missiles.<\/p>\n Leaked travel records reviewed by the FT showed Russian arms exports officials and several senior NPO Mashinostroyenia engineers made repeated trips to Iran before the C430L contract was formally signed.\u00a0<\/p>\n Russian dictator Vladimir Putin expressed support for Iran on September 1, assuring Tehran that Moscow was ready to \u201cprovide necessary assistance\u201d and praising the \u201ccourage and resilience\u201d of the Iranian people.<\/p>\n The United States and Iran shattered a monthlong lull on August 31 by trading direct military strikes following an escalating standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Tehran continues to block the strategic waterway while signaling a readiness to honor the June accord \u2013 which includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz \u2013 if the United States reciprocates.<\/p>\n Follow us on Twitter<\/a>, Facebook<\/a> and
\n Google News<\/a><\/p>\n