Iran is nearing an agreement with China to purchase anti-ship cruise missiles, according to six individuals familiar with the negotiations.

The agreement, which centers on the Chinese-manufactured CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles, is close to completion. However, a delivery timeline has not yet been finalized, the sources said, The Caspian Post reports, citing Reuters.

The CM-302 missiles have an estimated range of around 290 kilometers and are engineered to evade naval defense systems by flying at low altitudes and high speeds. Defense analysts warn that their introduction into Iran’s arsenal would substantially boost Tehran’s maritime strike capabilities and increase risks for U.S. naval forces operating in the region.

Talks between Tehran and Beijing over the missile systems began at least two years ago but gained notable momentum following the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June, according to the six sources. These include three officials briefed by the Iranian government and three security officials with direct knowledge of the discussions.

As negotiations advanced toward their final phase last summer, senior Iranian military and government representatives traveled to China. Among them was Massoud Oraei, Iran’s deputy defense minister, according to two of the security officials. Oraei’s visit has not been previously disclosed.

Danny Citrinowicz, a former Israeli intelligence officer and now a senior Iran researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, described the potential acquisition as transformative. “It’s a complete gamechanger if Iran has supersonic capability to attack ships in the area,” he said, noting that such missiles are extremely challenging to intercept.

Reuters was unable to confirm how many missiles might be included in the prospective agreement, the financial terms of the deal, or whether Beijing would ultimately proceed given escalating regional tensions.

An Iranian foreign ministry official stated that Iran maintains military and security agreements with its allies and that the current period is appropriate to utilize those arrangements.