Iran has long been considered one of the largest missile powers in the Middle East, gradually building up a large and diverse arsenal of ballistic weapons and other advanced military systems. According to a report published in 2022 by the United States Central Command, Tehran is believed to possess more than 3,000 ballistic missiles of various types, making it one of the countries with the largest missile capacity in the region.
This arsenal includes a wide range of missiles with different ranges. Among the most popular are short-range missiles, such as the Fateh missile family and the Zolfaghar missile, which are designed primarily to hit military targets relatively close to Iran’s borders. These missiles are characterized by the ability to be launched in multiple bursts within a short time, a tactic that aims to reduce the opponent’s reaction time and overload air defense systems.
An example of the use of this tactic was seen in 2020, after the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, when Iran launched a series of missiles at US military bases in Iraq. This action was considered a direct demonstration of the country’s ability to carry out coordinated and rapid strikes.
At another level are medium-range missiles, which constitute the mainstay of Iran’s strategic capabilities. Models such as the Shahab-3 missile, Khorramshahr missile and Sejjil missile can reach targets up to about 2,000 kilometers away. This limit, according to Iranian authorities, is the maximum that Tehran intends to maintain for the time being. However, many Western analysts and experts believe that the technology developed so far could enable Iran to further extend this range in the future.
US intelligence estimates suggest that Iran has developed about 14 different types of ballistic missiles. In recent years, the country has also focused its efforts on more advanced technologies, including hypersonic weapons. One of the most discussed projects is the Fattah-2 hypersonic missile, which Iranian authorities claim is capable of maneuvering at very high speeds and penetrating modern air defense systems.
In addition to ballistic missiles, Iran has also developed cruise missiles, which fly at low altitudes and are more difficult to detect by radar. One of the most well-known in this category is the Soumar cruise missile, which is believed to be based on the Russian Kh-55 cruise missile. These systems give Iran an additional dimension to its military deterrence strategy.
Another key element of Iran’s strategy is the construction of deep underground bases for storing and launching missiles. These structures, often called “missile cities,” are built hundreds of meters underground and are designed to protect the arsenal from air or missile attacks. Satellite images and propaganda materials released by Iranian authorities show long underground corridors, missile depots, and launch pads hidden at great depths.
In recent years, attack drones have also taken on an increasingly important role in Iran’s military strategy. Models like the Shahed-136 loitering munition, also known as kamikaze drones, are relatively cheap to produce and can be used in large numbers to overwhelm expensive air defense systems like the MIM-104 Patriot.
Although some Israeli officials have claimed that Iran’s arsenal was significantly reduced during last year’s military clashes, satellite imagery and expert assessments suggest that Iran has managed to recover a large part of its capabilities in a relatively short time.
However, according to current US intelligence assessments, Iran does not yet have the capability to strike the United States with intercontinental ballistic missiles. Analysts estimate that the development of such a capability is not expected to occur before 2035, although Iran’s missile program continues to be the focus of international attention and strategic debate in the region and beyond.