Iran has been able to develop a broad arsenal of missiles, which is probably the largest in the Middle East, according to a new Pentagon report released on Wednesday.
“The size and sophistication of Iran’s missile force continues to grow despite decades of anti-proliferation efforts aimed at curbing its progress,” says the study by the US Defense Intelligence Agency, entitled “Military Power of Iran”.
The arsenal of the Islamic Republic includes ballistic missiles that could attack its regional enemies at a distance of 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles), according to the report.
In the absence of a modern air force, “Iran has adopted ballistic missiles as a long-range attack capability to deter its adversaries in the region, particularly the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, from attacking Iran.”
Tehran also uses unconventional war operations and a network of militant and empowered partners to promote their interests in the region, in order to obtain a “strategic depth,” according to the study, adding that military strengthening efforts serve two objectives. important, namely “guarantee the survival of the regime and ensure a dominant position in the region.”
The report also notes that Iran “provides financial, political, training and material support” to Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, as well as to the Afghan Taliban.
“Tehran does not intend to return the power to the Taliban, but aims to maintain influence with the group as a cover in case the Taliban win a role in a future Afghan government,” the report says.
Much of this effort comes from the fact that Iran remains “relentlessly opposed to the United States and its presence in the Middle East.”
The director of the DIA, Lieutenant General Robert Ashley, said Iran “sees itself closer than ever to achieving its objectives.”
“By applying a rigorous process of lessons learned during decades of conflict in the Middle East, Iran has adapted its military capabilities and doctrine to take into account the events of the United States and its allies. Although it remains technologically inferior to most of its competitors, the Iranian army has made substantial progress in recent decades,”Ashley said in the introduction of the report.
Iran would develop its defense capacity more quickly if it were not for an arms embargo imposed by the UN for most of the weapons that expires in October 2020, he warned.
