IRGC spox shares Iran plans to expand missile range

The Iranian military will work to develop more missiles with a range exceeding 1000 kilometers, to reach “enemies at a greater distance from our forces.” Mohammad Akrami-Nia, spokesperson for the Islamic Republic’s Army, told the IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency on Sunday.

Referring to the deployment of US military forces outside the Strait of Hormuz, he shared that “during this war, we reached the conclusion that we definitely need to increase the range of our missiles, and we have now moved in this direction.”

Iranian officials claimed in February that Tehran had deliberately capped the range of its missiles at 2,000 km to avoid being perceived as an international threat. Despite comments by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, reports in March said Tehran had attempted to strike Diego Garcia with two intermediate-range ballistic missiles, which would have required a range far beyond 2,000 km.

“The missiles that we used during the war, particularly those used by our ground forces to target enemy bases, which were used in Kuwait, and our naval forces also used naval missiles, or sea-launched missiles, sea cruise missiles, against enemy vessels,” he said.

“These were actually very good and effective missiles, and we have now reached the conclusion that we need to increase their speed and range, because the enemy is located at a greater distance from our forces. They are located at a distance of up to 1,000 kilometers, and God willing, we will upgrade them as well.”

Iran already possesses several missiles capable of traveling more than 1,000 km, including the Khorramshahr, a liquid-fueled medium-range ballistic missile with a reported range of up to 2,000–3,000 km; the Sejjil, a solid-propellant medium-range ballistic missile capable of striking targets roughly 2,000 km away; and the Shahab-3, a foundational medium-range ballistic missile with a reported range of up to around 1,300 km, capable of reaching Israel and parts of the wider region. Later variants of the Shahab-3, including the Ghadr-1, have reported ranges of up to roughly 1,950 km.

The spokesperson’s claims came after IRGC Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi alleged that Iranian attacks forced the US military out of the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters.

In comments made to Iranian state media IRIB, Fadavi alleged on Sunday that “The Americans fled and moved more than 1,000 kilometers away from our borders. This was not their choice; it was due to the authority of the Islamic Republic and the authority of the IRGC Ground Force.”

“The Americans must use their vessels because you cannot exercise full sovereignty with air power. You can bomb the region every day, but unless your forces have a physical presence, you cannot impose your will,” he continued, going on to deny that the Islamic Republic targets assets and infrastructure of Islamic nations.

“…Any base belonging to the Americans, any vessel belonging to the Americans, will be targeted by the grace of God.”