Iran Reportedly Conducts Ballistic Missile Drills

Latest Developments

New Ballistic Missile Drills: Iran reportedly held several missile drills in various cities around the country on December 22, the second such exercise involving the regime’s ballistic missile program in a month. Images and videos flooded social media and Telegram, appearing to show missiles streaking across the sky, while Iranian state media Fars reported launches in Khorramabad, Mahabad, Isfahan, Tehran, and Mashhad. Iranian state media later denied the tests, attributing the streaks in the sky to “high altitude aircraft.”
Netanyahu To Present Contingency Plans for Renewed Strikes on Iran: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will reportedly present plans for possible renewed Israeli strikes on Iran during a forthcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. Jerusalem is increasingly concerned by the rapid rebuilding and expansion of Tehran’s ballistic missile program following the extensive Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee meanwhile observed that Iran “apparently didn’t get the full message” after the June strikes, warning that Tehran “presents a threat, but not just to Israel, not just to the United States: this presents a real threat to all of Europe.”
Iran Asserts Missile Program Not Up For Negotiation: Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei claimed that Tehran’s missile program was purely defensive. “Iran’s missile program has been developed solely for the defense of the country and is fundamentally not a matter for negotiation,” he stated. Commenting on the upcoming Netanyahu-Trump meeting, Baghaei said that “the media hype is also part of a hybrid war that the Zionist regime, with the help of the United States and affiliated media networks, has long designed and pursued against the Islamic Republic of Iran… The armed forces of [Iran] know well how to defend the country if necessary.”

FDD Expert Response

“The mixed messaging by official media in Iran about ballistic missile drills is to be expected. Tehran is trying to build back better without getting caught. And while missile tests are nothing new in Iran, the strategic context around the latest tests matters. After all, the Islamic Republic’s high level of interest in missiles was underscored by the war in June, as they were the only element of its security architecture that proved effective. That’s why the regime continues to invest in these systems.” — Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow

“Iran’s recent round of ballistic missile tests underscores the determination of its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to replenish its weapon stockpiles, sourcing materials from China and others. The drills also highlight the need for the U.S. and Israel to rapidly replenish their stocks of defensive missile interceptors. Despite Iranian claims that they have only acted defensively in the region, Iran has targeted dozens of U.S. military installations with attacks in just the last year.” — Tyler Stapleton, Senior Director of Government Relations at FDD Action