Iran's ballistic-missile program is the largest in the Middle East and plays a key role in Iran's military strategy. Its diverse short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles serve as a deterrent, support regional proxies, and bolster national defense capabilities.
The program aims to offset its adversaries' military superiority, particularly given Western sanctions that have hampered its ability to maintain and upgrade its air force.[1] The country has adopted a "deterrence by punishment" approach to ward off threats from Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the United States,[1] and according to an Iranian official, all European countries are also in range.[2][3][4]
Concerns about the program's potential connection to Iran's nuclear ambitions have led to international scrutiny and sanctions.
The program is primarily led by two the Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which oversee several subordinate missile entities and front companies that procure needed ingredients, components, and equipment from foreign suppliers.[5] The Self Sufficiency Jihad Organization (SSJO) is tasked with advancing the country's ballistic missile capabilities.[6]
History
Iran's missile program originated during the 1980–88 Iran–Iraq War as a means to deter IraqiScud attacks and compensate for its lack of modern air power.[7] In 1984, Iran obtained its first ballistic missiles (20 Soviet "Scud-B" SRBMs) from Libya[8] and subsequently procured Scud derivatives and launchers from North Korea and China. By the 1990s, Iran had reverse-engineered Scud technology to produce the Shahab-1 (a range of 330km) and Shahab-2 (a range of 500km) missiles, as well as Zelzal and Fateh short-range rockets. In the 2000s, Iran introduced longer-range systems (e.g. the liquid-fueled Shahab-3 MRBM) and began testing two-stagesolid-fueled designs (e.g. the Sejjil-2 MRBM). Key milestones include the public debut of Shahab-3 in 1998 (a range of ∼1,300km range) and the solid-fuel Sajjil in 2008. By 2010 Iran was unveiling newer variants (e.g. Qiam-1 in 2010, Zolfaghar in 2016) and integrating missile tests with its growing space launch program. Throughout this period the program's drivers included deterrence of Israel and Gulf states, asymmetrical warfare doctrine, and prestige, as summed up by experts: "Iran's ballistic missile programme… is an important element of military doctrine, a means of deterrence, and a tool of statecraft".[8][9]
In February 2025, Iran appeared to be rearming its missile program. A ship carrying 1,000 tons of sodium perchlorate, a chemical crucial for solid propellant production in missiles, arrived at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.[6] This shipment could facilitate the production of propellant for about 260 Kheibar Shekan missiles or around 200 Martyr Hajj Qassem Soleimani ballistic missiles.[6] The shipment highlights Iran's continuing dependence on international sources for critical materials.[6]
In June 2025, during the Iran-Israel war, according to The Economist, out of 500 missiles fired by Iran, 6% hit built-up areas.[10]
Types
Iran's ballistic missile arsenal is estimated to include over 3,000 missiles. This large inventory comprises a diverse array of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), with a range of 300–1000km, and medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) with a range of 1000–3000km.[11][12][13] According to a statement made by Iranian Parliament member of the Commission on National Security and Foreign Policy, Amir Hayat Moghadam, all of Europe, and in particular Britain, France and Germany are in range of Iranian MRBMs, while major US cities such as Washington and New York, beyond range at approximately 10,000km away, may be targeted by missiles launched from the sea.[2][3][4]
Khorramshahr – A liquid-fueled MRBM that can carry multiple warheads, with a range of 2,000km.[16]
Emad – An improved Shahab-3 variant with better precision and a range of 2,000km.[17]
The following table summarizes the information on the types of missiles, their range, unit cost, and annual upkeep cost:[18]
Missile
Type
Range (km)
Unit cost (USD)
Annual upkeep / maintenance (USD)
Notes
Fateh-110
SRBM
~300
$110,000 – $2.1 million
~$20,000 – $100,000
Cost varies by guidance system and version (e.g. Fateh-313 higher)
Zolfaghar
SRBM
~700
~$150,000
~$40,000
Export version used by regional proxies
Qiam-1
SRBM
~700
~$3.5 million
~$120,000
Liquid-fueled; requires more logistical maintenance
Shahab-3
MRBM
~1,300
~$3 million
~$150,000 – $250,000
Based on North Korean Nodong; extensive IRGC deployment
Ghadr-110
MRBM
~1,800
~$5 million
~$250,000
More accurate version of Shahab-3
Sejjil-2
MRBM
~2,000
~$6 million
~$200,000 – $300,000
Solid-fueled; higher storage and propellant upkeep costs
Khorramshahr
MRBM
~2,000
~$8 million
~$300,000 – $400,000
Large payload; possibly designed with nuclear delivery in mind
Stock
Iran was assumed to possess more than 3,000 missiles total (all ranges)[19] before the Iran–Israel war. Iran manufactured hundreds of SRBMs (e.g. Fateh-110/M-600) for Hezbollah.[20] Yemen’s Houthis possess dozens of ballistic missiles that can hit Saudi Arabia or Israel.[21] Iran-backed Iraqi militias have received "a couple of dozen" short-range ballistic missiles.[22]
Iran employs mobile transporter-erector-launchers (TELs) (e.g. multi-axle trucks) for most missiles, allowing dispersion. Aerial photos show Iranian TELs carrying Zelzal, Qiam and Sejjil missiles on 6x6, 8x8, or 10x10 chassis. Iran also maintains hardened facilities (often underground) for missile assembly and storage. Notably, satellite imagery reveals vast new complexes at Khojir and Modarres near Tehran – expanded missile production and storage sites with numerous protective berms and bunkers.[19][23][24]
Bases
Iran has numerous ballistic-missile bases spread across the country, with many underground, including:
Khorramabad Underground Missile Base: Located in Lorestan province, this base is known to have the most missile silos in the country.[25]
Kenesht Canyon Underground Base: Situated in Kermanshah province.[26]
Panj Pelleh Underground Base: Also located in Kermanshah province.[26]
Bakhtaran Missile Base: Located in western Iran, this base is strategically positioned for potential launches against targets in Israel, the Gulf States, and Europe.[27]
Haji Abad Missile Base: A suspected new hardened launch site near Haji Abad, though its exact location is not disclosed.[28]
Undisclosed Gulf Location: On January 18, 2025, the IRGC navy unveiled an underground naval missile base at an undisclosed location in the Gulf region34.[29][30]
Southern Iran Coastal Areas: On February 2, 2025, the IRGC navy unveiled another underground missile base in the coastal areas of southern Iran.[30]
Iran has missile bases in all provinces and cities throughout the country, with many at depths of 500 meters underground.[31][29] The locations of many of these bases remain classified for security reasons. Iran continues to expand its missile production capabilities, with recent unveilings of underground "missile cities" showing its growing arsenal.[29]
Nuclear potential
Several of Iran's ballistic missiles have the range and payload capacity to carry a nuclear warhead, should Iran choose to develop one. This has drawn international concern and sanctions.
The Shahab-3, based on North Korean technology, one of Iran's most sophisticated ballistic missiles. With a range of about 1,300 kilometers, it could carry a nuclear warhead.[32] The Ghadr-1, a Shahab-3 variant, extends this range to almost 2,000 kilometers. A 2019 study declared the original Shahab-3 to be "designed to be nuclear capable".[5]
The Khorramshahr, Iran's most advanced liquid-fuel ballistic missile, is also considered to be designed for potential nuclear capability. Its wider conical nose (1.5 meters in diameter) could accommodate a nuclear device.[16]
Iran's medium-range ballistic missiles, such as the Sejjil and Emad, with ranges between 1,500-2,500 kilometers, could be adapted to carry nuclear warheads.[16] These missiles cover all of the Middle East and parts of Europe, making them a concern for regional and international security.[16]
While the 2017 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was designed to block Iran's pathways to nuclear weapons, concerns remain about the potential dual-use nature of Iran's missile technology.[32]
The international community has expressed concerns about Iran's missile program, particularly its potential connection to Iran's nuclear ambitions.[33]UNSecurity Council Resolution 2231 previously forbade Iran from activities involving "missiles designed to be nuclear capable," but these restrictions expired in October 2023.[5]
Use in combat
On April 13–14, 2024 Iran fired approximately 120 ballistic missiles on Israel as part of operation "True Promise". The interception rate was about 60%.[34]
On 1 October 2024, Iran launched about 200 ballistic missiles as part as operation "True Promise II" Iran fired around 200 ballistic missiles.[35][36][37] Most of the missile were intercepted according to the Israeli army.[38][39]
During Iran–Israel war Iran launched 500-550 ballistic missiles. However, only 151 landed in Israel according to Israel.[40]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
