Iran possesses the largest and most diverse ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East, with an estimated 3,000+ missiles of various types. Built almost entirely through domestic production, this arsenal gives Iran the ability to strike any target within 2,000 km — covering all of Israel, US bases in the Gulf, and much of southeastern Europe.
Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (under 500 km)
Fateh-110 Family
The Fateh-110 is Iran's most numerous tactical missile, with an estimated 1,000+ in inventory. It uses solid fuel for rapid launch capability and carries a 450 kg warhead to ranges of 200-300 km. Variants include:
- Fateh-110 — Original variant, 200 km range, GPS-guided
- Fateh-313 — Extended range (500 km), improved guidance
- Zolfaghar — 700 km range, maneuvering warhead
- Dezful — 1,000 km range, solid-fuel, latest evolution
These are the missiles most likely to be provided to Hezbollah and other proxy forces due to their relatively compact size and road-mobile launchers.
Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles (1,000-2,000 km)
Shahab-3
Based on North Korea's Nodong-1, the Shahab-3 is a liquid-fueled MRBM with a range of 1,300 km. First tested in 1998, it was Iran's first missile capable of reaching Israel. While still in inventory, it's being replaced by more modern solid-fuel designs.
Emad
An upgraded Shahab-3 with a maneuvering reentry vehicle (MaRV) and improved guidance. Range of approximately 1,700 km with a 750 kg warhead. The MaRV capability allows terminal-phase corrections, improving accuracy from ~2 km CEP to approximately 500 meters.
Sejjil
Iran's most advanced operational MRBM — a two-stage solid-fuel missile with a range of 2,000 km. Solid fuel provides crucial advantages: faster launch preparation (minutes vs. hours for liquid-fueled), better survivability against preemptive strikes, and reduced logistics requirements.
Sejjil can reach any point in Israel, all US bases in the Gulf region, and parts of southeastern Europe. Its solid-fuel design makes it a true "shoot and scoot" weapon — the launcher can fire and relocate before retaliatory strikes arrive.
Khorramshahr
A liquid-fueled missile with a reported range of 2,000 km and a claimed 1,800 kg warhead. Potentially derived from North Korean BM-25/Musudan technology. The large warhead capacity has led to speculation about its potential as a nuclear delivery vehicle.
Claimed Hypersonic: Fattah
Unveiled in June 2023, Iran claims the Fattah is a hypersonic ballistic missile with a range of 1,400 km and a maneuvering warhead capable of Mach 13-15. The missile reportedly features a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) warhead that can maneuver during reentry to defeat missile defenses.
Western analysts remain skeptical of Iran's hypersonic claims, noting that developing a true HGV requires extensive flight testing that has not been observed. The Fattah may be more accurately described as a maneuvering reentry vehicle rather than a true hypersonic glide weapon.
Production Capacity
Iran's missile production is dispersed across multiple hardened facilities, many underground. Key production centers include:
- Parchin military complex (southeast of Tehran)
- Isfahan missile production facilities
- Underground facilities near Khorramabad
- Shahrud space/missile test center
Estimated production capacity: 200-400 ballistic missiles per year, with the ability to surge higher by shifting production priorities. Iran has invested decades in creating a self-sufficient missile industrial base that is resistant to sanctions and preemptive strike.