Zolfaghar (missile)

The Zolfaghar (Persian: ذوالفقار) missile is an Iranian road-mobile,[2] single-stage, solid-propelled SRBM[1] named after Zulfiqar the sword of Ali ibn Abi Talib. It is believed to be derived from the Fateh-110 SRBM family[2] (possibly the Fateh-313 missile).[1] The Aerospace Industries Organization unveiled the. weapon in 2016.[3] It entered service in 2017.[1] It was first used in the 2017 Deir ez-Zor missile strike and was therefore one of the first used mid-range missiles since 30 years.[4]

Zolfaghar
Two Zolfaghar missiles mounted on a launcher
Zolfaghar
TypeSRBM[1]
Place of originIran
Service history
In service2017-present[1]
Production history
ManufacturerIRGC AF
Unit cost$200.000
Specifications
Length10.3 m[1]
Width0.68 m[1]
PropellantSingle-stage Solid-propelled[1]
Operational
range
700 km[1]
Guidance
system
INS, GPS[2]
Accuracy5 m CEP estimated[2]
References

Design

According to Iranian sources, the Zolfaghar missile has a length of 10.3m, a diameter of 0.68m, and a launch weight of 4615kg with a warhead weighing 590kg that is designed to separate in midcourse phase, making it more difficult to detect, track and intercept than unibody missiles like the 9K720 Iskander.[5]

History

It was first unveiled during a military parade aboard a vehicle decorated with an anti-Zionist banner[2] on 25 September 2016[1] after which Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan claimed that the missile had a range of 700 km.[1][2] The Iranian Ministry of Defense would later on release a video of its testing.[1] On 17 June 2017 Iran launched six Zolfaghar missiles into Syria towards the Deir ez-Zor region on ISIS targets as a response to the attack in Tehran on 8 June 2017.[1]

In February 2019 Iran unveiled a new longer range version of the Zolfaghar missile called the Dezful missile with a range of 1000 km, this is an MRBM.[6]

On 7 March 2021, Yemeni Houthi attacked different locations in Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles and armed drones with a Zolfaghar ballistic missile along with several Samad-3 loitering munitions targeted the Aramco oil facilities at Ras Tanura.[7][8]

Operators

State-operators

Reported future operators
  •  Russia – An intelligence assessment shared in October 2022 with Ukrainian and U.S. officials contended that Iran’s armaments industry was preparing a first shipment of Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar missiles to Russia.[10] Western media reported the sale was confirmed by the Iranian side later in October.[9] Iran rejected the Western "media hype" over the delivery of Iranian missiles to Russia. The foreign minister said that "what they have said about the missiles is completely wrong."[11]

See also

References
  1. "Zolfaghar". Missile Threat. Archived from the original on 2020-02-18. Retrieved 2017-06-20.
  2. "Zolfaghar". Missile Defense Afvocacy Alliance. Archived from the original on 2020-03-30.
  3. Staff. (25 September 2016). "Iran unveils Zulfaghar long-range ballistic missile". Mehr News Agency website Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  4. "Iran Fires at Militants in Syria in First Use of Mid-range Missiles in 30 Years". Haaretz. 18 June 2017. Archived from the original on 18 June 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  5. "The Iranian Missile Threat". www.csis.org. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  6. "Report: Iran Inaugurates Medium-Range Ballistic Missile". New York Times. Associated Press. 2019-02-07. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2019-02-09. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
  7. "World News | Latest Top Stories". Reuters.
  8. "Ansarullah's missile and munitions launches flex Saudi responses".
  9. Altman, Howard. "Ukraine Situation Report: Iranian Officials Admit To Selling Russia Ballistic Missiles (Updated)". thedrive.com. The Drive. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  10. "Iran plans to send missiles, drones to Russia for Ukraine war, officials say". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-10-16.
  11. "Update: Iranian FM acknowledges sending drones to Russia before Ukraine conflict-Xinhua". english.news.cn. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
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