Russia has been secretly assisting Iran for years in the development of supersonic missiles capable of targeting U.S. warships, according to a report from the Financial Times. The collaboration, reportedly centered around Project C430L, involves Russian missile experts aiding Iran in creating a new class of supersonic weapons.
This program aims to help Tehran develop its own ramjet propulsion system, which would enable its cruise missiles to reach speeds several times the speed of sound, making them significantly harder to intercept. Such a capability would provide Iran with a "qualitatively new strategic weapon system that could threaten US Navy vessels," Jim Lamson, a former CIA analyst focusing on Iran, told the Financial Times.
The cooperation on the ramjet system allegedly began after Iran supplied Russia with its Shahed suicide drones. Russia and Iran have been strengthening their military and economic ties, often presenting a united front against Western sanctions.
Leaked correspondence suggests that Rosoboronexport, Russia's state arms exporter, is facilitating the supersonic missile assistance program. Russian arms export officials and rocket experts reportedly made multiple trips to Iran prior to the formal signing of the C430L contract in November 2023. The two nations have exchanged technical information on rocket system development over several years.
Correspondence dated as recently as June indicates ongoing discussions about the program's next phase, with plans made in April 2025 to send a delegation of two dozen Russian specialists to Iran to serve as consultants. While Iran has conducted flight tests of its own ramjet propulsion system, it has not yet deployed any Russian-assisted supersonic cruise missiles, leaving the current development status unclear.
The report emerges shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged support to Iran at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, an event positioned as a counterbalance to American global influence. Previous accusations have implicated Russia in aiding Iran's military efforts, including providing satellite target assistance for retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases in the Middle East and reportedly shipping components for drones, missiles, and explosives to Iran.