What is Iran's Missile Arsenal and Regional Range?
Iran possesses the largest and most diverse missile arsenal in the Middle East. This includes the short-range Zalzal, developed in 1990 with a range of up to 200 kilometers; the Shahab-1, which entered service in 1994 and has a range of up to 186 miles; and the Shahab-2, which entered service in 1997 and has a range of 310 miles.
Iran’s missile models, such as the Shahab-3, Ghadr, Khorramshahr, and Sejjil, are capable of reaching cities up to 2,000 kilometers away, and variants, including the BM25, can reach cities between 2,500 and 3,000 kilometers away, which would include cities in Central Europe and far beyond.
By 2027, Iran’s arsenal could include more than 5,000 missiles, as the rate of production would be 100 new missiles per month. Iran’s missile collection poses a serious threat to even the strongest air defenses around the globe.
Meanwhile, their significance in threatening Western Europe is built upon their goal to deter power. Iran’s missile arsenal is utilized as a counter-attack to threats from the United States, its allies, and European NATO members.
The country’s primary strategy of holding thousands of missiles is to pose a threat when it comes to negotiations.
Iran's missiles serve multiple strategic purposes, which include deterring foreign intervention, projecting power across the country, and supporting allied groups like Hezbollah.
Western Europe as a target not only puts Iran on edge for allied retaliation, but also poses an argumentative defense mechanism for threats over its nuclear program.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is the size and scope of Iran's missile arsenal?
Iran has 3,000 ballistic missiles in their arsenal, with a maximum range of 2,000 kilometers.
2) When was Iran's missile program founded?
Iran's missile program was founded during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War. As Iran faced Western arms embargoes and devastating Iraqi Scud attacks, Tehran established its first formal missile unit under the IRGC in October of 1984 and produced its first Scud-B missiles from Libya and Syria in 1985.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistic_missile_program_of_Iran
3) Who founded and developed Iran's missile program?
The IRGC founded and developed Iran's missile program; Iran's military officer Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam is recognized as the "father of Iran's missile program."
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassan_Tehrani_Moghaddam
Why it matters
Iran’s arsenal is more than its missiles; it’s also its access to uranium enrichment sites, giving it possession of nuclear weapons.
Sources
- Open Source Intel X Tweet, February 20, 2026
- Open Source Intel Tweet, February 25, 2026
- Uzi Rubin, The Global Reach of Iran's Ballistic Missiles, Memorandum 86, November 2006
- "If Attacked, How Would Iran Respond?" AMos Yadlin and Avner Golov, Strategic Assessment, Volume 16, No.3, October 2013, INSS
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