Secret C430L program aimed to develop powerful weapons with Russian and Iranian help

Russia secretly helped Iran develop a new class of hypersonic cruise missiles under a program code-named C430L, according to an investigation by the Financial Times. The weapons could threaten U.S. aircraft carriers and other warships in the Middle East.

The program began in 2023 and continued during the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Travel records reviewed by the Financial Times show that Russian officials and engineers made repeated trips to Iran before the C430L agreement was formally signed.

The program’s main goal was to help Iran develop ramjet propulsion. The technology allows a cruise missile to maintain speeds several times faster than sound. Iran has built and tested such a propulsion system, but there is no evidence that a Russian-assisted hypersonic cruise missile has been deployed.

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The transfer of highly strategically sensitive military technology from Russia that the Iranians have sought for decades. A program like this would require political approval at the highest level in Russia.

Fabian Hinz, an analyst specializing in Iranian missiles, described the effort as “the transfer of highly strategically sensitive military technology from Russia that the Iranians have sought for decades.” He said a program of this kind would require political approval at the highest level in Russia.

Leaked correspondence indicates that negotiations continued into this summer. Russia prepared technical reports for Tehran, while the two sides discussed the next phase of development. It is not known whether that phase began. The program continued after Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened in 2024 to retaliate against Western transfers of advanced long-range missiles to Ukraine by supplying comparable weapons to regions where attacks could target sensitive sites in countries aiding Ukraine.

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Supply our weapons of the same class to regions of the world where strikes will be carried out against sensitive sites of those countries that do the same to Russia.