On 28th May, NTI published a report by Jeffrey Lewis of CNS and Arms Control Wonk podcast fame, saying that, given the amount of press attention, one might be forgiven for focusing on Iran’s missiles to the exclusion of all others. And yet, Iran’s missile programme does not exist in a vacuum. It is part of a decades-long process during which many regional states have acquired similar capabilities. In fact, Iran is one of 11 different countries in the region that possess long-range missiles — missiles that either approach or exceed the threshold defined by the MTCR for “Category I” missiles. Countries with long-range missiles include: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia. Syria, Turkey, UAE and Yemen. While many of these missile systems have been imported, 6 of the 11 countries on this list either possess or are developing a domestic manufacturing capability. The report includes an interactive map that details all major missile programmes in the region, highlighting production facilities, testing grounds and missile bases. It also touches upon non-state actors missile use and combat launches, as well as open-source case studies. The report looks at the origin of Iranian missiles in North Korean Scuds (the missiles infamous from Iraqi use against Israel during the Gulf War). The report then says that, while the presence of long-range missiles has been a problem in the region for decades, their proliferation appears to be entering a new and more dangerous phase, with programmes becoming increasingly sophisticated and indigenous – Iran is far from the only country developing new and potentially destabilising missile capabilities.
https://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/middle-east-missile-mania-its-not-just-iran/
