April 2, 2021

Why Does Iran Want So Many Ballistic Missiles?

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by Farhad Rezaei, Senior Research Fellow

When will it be enough?

Here’s What You Need To Remember: Developing indigenous missile and anti-missile systems is a key component of Iran’s deterrence strategy.

Unlike Iran’s nuclear program, the country’s arsenal of ballistic missiles has received only scant scholarly attention. At best, some highly technical analyses have been offered. At worst, the missiles have been considered only as part of the nuclear project, designed to carry nuclear warheads. However, the missile program is a complex and sophisticated response to Iran’s unique security challenges, and should be analyzed on its own.

(Note: This first appeared a few years ago and is reposted due to breaking events)

The signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in July 2015 has made this task more urgent. With the nuclear program rolled back, Iran’s missiles have become…

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