Iran’s Growing Military Arsenal Challenges US Dominance Amid Sanctions

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Al Jazeera, in a report detailing Iran’s arms industry development under prolonged U.S. sanctions, has highlighted that Iran’s military industries have become a major source of concern for the world’s largest military power.

Al Jazeera referenced the delivery of 79 U.S.-made F-14 fighter jets to Iran before the Islamic Revolution, noting that Iran faced immense challenges in maintaining these aircraft without American technical and logistical support. The report described these jets as a “nightmare” to maintain, primarily due to the TF30 engines, originally designed for F-111 Aardvark bombers, which exhibited unstable performance in high-intensity aerial combat. It was estimated that these aircraft required 40 hours of ground work for every hour of flight. However, Iran’s efforts defied expectations.

In 1982, the Islamic Republic of Iran initiated its “Self-Sufficiency Jihad,” beginning the domestic production of simple aircraft components. This enabled Iranian fighter jets to remain operational. When the primary AIM-54 Phoenix missiles were depleted, Iran developed the domestic Fakour-90 missile as a replacement. Engineers successfully integrated this missile with the American aircraft’s fire control system.

Al Jazeera further stated that America’s current concern is not the number of active Iranian fighter jets, but rather the organizational capacity that has kept these aircraft flying despite isolation and sanctions. Washington’s challenge lies in Iran’s organizational model and industrial flexibility, which strengthened after the war with Iraq. This was pursued through reverse engineering, sourcing parts from the black market, and domestic production of equipment to enhance its arms capabilities.

Iran’s Missile Program

The report then examined Iran’s missile fleet, noting that reverse-engineering missiles and producing various types has enabled Iran to develop long-range missile production, manufacturing them with lighter materials to increase their range.

This industrial capability has extended to the domestic production of ballistic missiles, making Iran the owner of the largest ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East. In 2022, General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command in the region, stated that Iran possessed over 3,000 ballistic missiles, a figure that does not include its growing inventory of land-attack cruise missiles. This missile arsenal is not imported.

According to the report, Iran’s missile program began during the Iran-Iraq war as a means of deterrence against Iraqi Scud missile attacks and to compensate for the country’s air force deficiencies. In 1984, Iran acquired its first Russian-made Scud missiles from Libya, and subsequently imported Scud missile components and launch platforms from North Korea and China. Iranian engineers reverse-engineered Scud technology in the 1990s, leading to the domestic production of the Shahab-1 and Shahab-2 missiles.

Iran’s missile advancements have progressed beyond reliance on imported technology. Iran subsequently produced solid-fuel medium-range missiles like the Sejjil-2, with a range of nearly 2,000 kilometers, and more precise missiles such as the Emad and Kheibar Shekan. The transition from liquid fuel to solid fuel for missiles represented a significant leap in this field. Solid-fuel missiles are faster to launch, easier to maneuver, and more difficult to target before launch.

Continuing this trend, the Fatah missiles were produced in June 2023, marking Iran’s entry into the club of countries possessing hypersonic missiles. Al Jazeera added that the development of efficient hypersonic missiles is one of the most complex technical challenges in the missile domain, requiring vehicles capable of withstanding immense heat, maintaining aerodynamic stability, and carrying effective payloads, which necessitates scientific advancement and continuous testing. Consequently, after decades of research, only a handful of countries possess genuine or experimental capabilities in this area, limited to four nations: Russia, the United States, China, and Iran.

Iran has officially announced it possesses two missiles that meet the criteria for hypersonic weapons. These missiles were developed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, leveraging solid-fuel ballistic missile technology and incorporating modifications to enhance maneuverability and maintain high speeds. The first of these missiles was the Fatah-1, with whose production Iran entered the hypersonic missile arena. According to Iran, the Fatah-1 missile can achieve speeds between Mach 13 and 15 and has a range of approximately 1,400 kilometers. Fatah-1, as a medium-range ballistic missile, is equipped with a warhead capable of changing its trajectory during flight.

The Fatah-1 missile operates on a complete solid fuel system, giving it the advantage of rapid launch preparation compared to liquid-fuel missiles. This missile is guided with precision and, due to its ability to maneuver at variable altitudes and trajectories, cannot be destroyed by conventional interceptors. Iran has stated that this missile can evade the most advanced air defense systems in the occupied territories.

Iran also announced an advanced version of the same missile named Fatah-2. This model was unveiled in November 2023. Fatah-2 is a fully domestically produced missile and a unique technical achievement. The most apparent test of this arsenal was observed on the battlefield following the Israeli regime’s attacks on Iran during the 12-day conflict. During this period, Iran launched over 500 ballistic missiles towards the occupied territories.

According to an analysis by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), Israel and the United States intercepted a total of only 273 out of 574 missiles launched by Iran, while 49 missiles struck Israeli residential areas, bases, and infrastructure. By the end of this conflict, Israel and U.S. interceptor ammunition was dangerously depleted. Some of the Fatah missiles also penetrated Israel’s Arrow-3 system and accurately hit their targets. Thus, the successful strikes of Iranian missiles on their targets led to Iran achieving a deterrence equation.

Submarine Fleet and Mines

According to Al Jazeera’s report, Iran today commands one of the largest and most diverse submarine fleets in the Middle East, estimated to consist of 28 to 30 submarines. This inventory includes Russian-made Kilo-class submarines, domestically produced Fateh-class medium submarines, and a fleet of miniature Ghadir submarines. Iran’s arms development in this sector also follows a pattern of import, reverse engineering, and then increasingly domestic production.

The Kilo-class submarines, each 74 meters long, are stationed off the coast of Bandar Abbas near the Strait of Hormuz and can carry 18 torpedoes or anti-ship cruise missiles, in addition to their mining capabilities.

In 2007, Iran began deploying miniature Ghadir submarines for operations in the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf. The design of these submarines was based on North Korean “Yono” class submarines, which were reverse-engineered and produced locally. These submarines, measuring 29 meters in length, are designed for depths of approximately 50 meters, where larger Kilo-class submarines cannot operate effectively. High salinity, strong water currents, and dense maritime traffic are other conditions these submarines can navigate with ease. Iran possesses between 15 and 23 submarines of this type today.

In February 2019, Iran took delivery of the Fateh submarine, marking an unprecedented leap. The Fateh was the first medium coastal submarine (weighing 600 tons) to be completely designed and built domestically. With a length of 48 meters and four 533 mm torpedo tubes, the Fateh can launch torpedoes and anti-ship cruise missiles. This submarine can dive to depths of 200 meters and remain at sea for up to five weeks.

Strait of Hormuz and the Trump Card of Naval Mines

However, the primary threat from Iran is not torpedoes and cruise missiles, but mines. A Kilo-class submarine can lay between 24 and 36 mines on each mission. The Ghadir fleet performs this capability in shallow waters as well. Fateh submarines can also carry eight naval mines in addition to their torpedo payload.

According to Al Jazeera, Iran’s covert mining capability is linked to its most significant geographical leverage: the Strait of Hormuz. Based on 2025 estimates, Iran possesses approximately 6,000 naval mines, a significant increase from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency’s 2019 estimate of 5,000 mines. This number includes simple contact mines, moored mines that float below the surface, and advanced bottom mines with multiple effects, which Tehran has acquired from Russia and China.

Al Jazeera concludes by praising Iran’s military industries, noting that Iran currently possesses the largest missile arsenal in the Middle East, a developed submarine fleet, and an inventory of 6,000 naval mines.