Iran significantly increased missile production due to agreement with Russia - Reuters
Date: 2024-07-09 Author: Кирило Загоруйко Categories: WORLD
Iran has expanded two key ballistic missile production facilities. This followed an October 2022 agreement in which Tehran allegedly agreed to supply these missiles to Russia.
The country's missile arsenal is already the largest in the Middle East, Reuters reported, citing two American researchers who analyzed satellite photos, as well as three unnamed Iranian officials. It is estimated at more than 3,000 missiles.
Planet Labs satellite images of the Modarres military base in March and the Hojir industrial complex in April show more than 30 new structures.
In particular, many structures are surrounded by large earthen ramparts. According to Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, this was done to ensure that an explosion in one building would not lead to detonation in neighboring structures. Lewis noted that the expansion began in Hojira last August and in Modarres in October.
Three Iranian officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the facilities are being expanded to increase ballistic missile production. Some of the new buildings will also allow UAV production to double.
One of the Iranian officials revealed that drones and missiles will be sent to the Russian Federation, drones to the Houthis, and a number of missiles to Lebanese Hezbollah.
