How capable is Iran’s missile arsenal as tensions rise?

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - DUBAI, Feb 28 — Iran holds a new round of nuclear talks with the United States on Thursday in Geneva. Its arsenal of missiles has been a sticking point in negotiations.

Here are some details about Iran’s missiles:

What are ballistic missiles?

A ballistic missile is a rocket-propelled weapon that is guided during its ascent but follows a free-fall trajectory for most of its flight. It delivers warheads — containing either conventional explosives or potentially biological, chemical or nuclear munitions — over varying distances.

Western powers regard Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal both as a conventional military threat to Middle East stability and a possible delivery mechanism for nuclear weapons, should Tehran develop them. Iran denies any intent to build atomic bombs.

Iranian missile types and ranges

Iran has the largest stockpile of ballistic missiles in the Middle East, according to the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence. They have a self-imposed range of 2,000km, which Iranian officials have said was enough to protect the country as they can reach Israel.

Many of Iran’s missile sites are in and around Tehran. There are at least five known underground “missile cities” in various provinces, including Kermanshah and Semnan, as well as near the Gulf region.

The arsenal encompasses multiple long-range missiles that can reach Israel, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. It says these include the Sejil, with a 2,000-km range; Emad, 1,700km; Ghadr, 2,000km; Shahab-3, 1,300km; Khorramshahr, 2,000km; and Hoveyzeh 1,350km.

The semi-official Iranian news outlet ISNA published a graphic in April 2025 showing nine Iranian missiles it said could reach Israel, including the Sejil, which ISNA said was capable of flying at more than 17,000km per hour and had a range of 2,500km; the Kheibar, with a range of 2,000km; and the Haj Qasem, 1,400km.

Washington-based think tank, the Arms Control Association says Iran’s ballistic arsenal included the Shahab-1, ⁠with an estimated range of 300km; the Zolfaghar, 700km; Shahab-3, 800-1,000km; ⁠Emad-1, under development, 2,000km; and a Sejil model under development, 1,500-2,500km.

When did Iran last use its missiles?

During ⁠the 12-day war with Israel in June 2025, ⁠Tehran fired ballistic missiles into Israel, killing ⁠dozens of people and destroying buildings.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and AEI Critical Threats Project said Israel “likely destroyed around a third of the Iranian missile launchers” during the conflict. Iranian officials have said Tehran has recovered from the damage incurred during the war.

Iran also responded to US participation in Israel’s air war by firing missiles at the ⁠US Al Udeid air base in Qatar. Tehran gave advance warning and no one was hurt. Washington announced a ceasefire hours later.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards used missiles in January 2024 when they said they had attacked Israel’s spy headquarters in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, and that they had also fired at Islamic State militants in Syria.

Tehran also announced missile strikes targeting two bases of a Baloch militant group in Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia and the United States have said they believe Iran was behind a drone and missile attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities in 2019. Tehran denied this.

In 2020, Iran launched missiles at US-led forces in Iraq in retaliation for a US ⁠drone strike that killed Major General Qassem Soleimani of the Revolutionary Guards.

Missile strategy and development

Iran says its ballistic missiles provide a deterrent and retaliatory force against the United States, Israel and other potential regional targets.

According to a 2023 report by Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at ⁠the US-based Foundation for Defence of Democracies, Iran continues to develop underground missile depots complete with transport and firing systems, as well as production and storage centres. In 2020, Iran ⁠fired a ballistic missile ⁠from underground for the first time, it said.

“Years of reverse-engineering missiles and producing various missile classes have also taught Iran about stretching airframes and building them with lighter composite materials to increase missile range,” the report said.

In June 2023, Iran presented what officials described as its first domestically made hypersonic ballistic missile, the official IRNA news agency reported. Hypersonic missiles can fly at least five times faster than the speed of sound on a complex trajectory, making them difficult to intercept.

The Arms Control Association says Iran’s missile programme is largely based on North Korean and Russian designs and has benefited from Chinese assistance.

Iran also has cruise missiles such as the Kh-55, an air-launched nuclear-capable weapon with a range up to 3,000km. — Reuters