Financial Times report: Russia secretly assisted Iran in advanced missile development

A new report by the Financial Times indicates that Russia has been secretly collaborating to bolster Iran's missile capabilities since 2023. The program, codenamed C430L, reportedly aims to help Iran develop missiles capable of targeting US Navy aircraft carriers in the Middle East. The collaboration focuses on developing ramjet propulsion systems, which would enable missiles to travel at several times the speed of sound. Experts suggest that such fast, low-flying missiles would significantly reduce the reaction time for Western air defense systems. Leaked documents show that preparations for the deal were underway before its formal signing in November 2023. Nicole Grajewski, a professor at Sciences Po University in Paris, stated that Russia is attempting to broaden the Ukraine war and draw the United States into other theaters of conflict. The report also notes that this support continued during Iran's attacks on Gulf states and is part of a broader technology exchange between Tehran and Moscow, which includes Iranian support for Russia's drone program.