During the unveiling of a new underground missile city operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Khorramshahr-4 ballistic missile—also known by its operational name Kheibar—was presented as a core component of the subterranean network.
According to Iranian media reports, positioning the Khorramshahr-4 within hardened underground infrastructure elevates the system from a publicly declared capability to a permanently deployable and resilient operational asset. Strategically, this means the missile force is designed to withstand a first strike and remain capable of rapid retaliation, even under sustained military pressure.
Khorramshahr-4 belongs to Iran’s heavy ballistic missile class, with an operational range of approximately 2,000 kilometers and a high-mass warhead. Its high speed—reaching multiple times the speed of sound during various flight phases—significantly reduces warning and interception windows for missile defense systems. The missile is designed to penetrate layered air and missile defenses through its flight profile, velocity, and updated guidance systems.
Second-Strike Capability and Strategic Messaging
The integration of Khorramshahr-4 into underground launch platforms conveys a clear strategic signal: a reliable second-strike capability exists. The timing of the unveiling, amid overt and covert security threats involving the United States and Israel, underscores that the missile is now an active element of Iran’s defensive-offensive posture—one grounded in the doctrine of “active deterrence.”
Analysts note that such military disclosures often coincide with periods of diplomatic engagement and political pressure, functioning as leverage rather than escalation. The message is that negotiations are not conducted from a position of vulnerability, while the cost of military adventurism is deliberately raised.
Technical Profile of Khorramshahr-4
First unveiled on June 25, 2023, Khorramshahr-4 measures approximately 13 meters in length, 1.5 meters in diameter, and weighs around 30 tons. It carries a warhead weighing roughly 1,500 kilograms—among the heaviest in Iran’s missile inventory—with the capacity to deliver over one ton of explosives.
The missile is powered by the advanced Arvand engine, using hypergolic liquid fuel, allowing for faster operational readiness and reduced launch preparation complexity. A key design innovation places the engine inside the fuel tank, improving structural stability, reducing overall length, and enhancing ballistic performance and accuracy.
Speed, Flight Phases, and Reduced Reaction Time
Khorramshahr-4 reportedly reaches speeds of up to Mach 16 outside the atmosphere and approximately Mach 8 within it. With a total flight time estimated at 10 to 12 minutes, the missile sharply limits the effectiveness of many defensive response systems.
The missile operates across three flight phases: initial boost and trajectory setting, a mid-course phase where the warhead separates and corrects flight disturbances, and a terminal phase involving atmospheric reentry. During the final stage, auxiliary engines stabilize the warhead’s path through controlled rotational motion, ensuring precision under extreme conditions.
Maneuverable Warhead and Electronic Warfare Resistance
The missile is equipped with a maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV) featuring eight auxiliary engines—four for attitude control and stabilization, and four for lateral course correction. This configuration enhances both accuracy and survivability against missile defenses.
One of Khorramshahr-4’s defining features is mid-course guidance dominance. Once the warhead reenters the atmosphere, electronic guidance systems are deactivated, effectively neutralizing the impact of electronic warfare and reducing vulnerability to signal disruption.
Low Radar Signature and High Accuracy
Design modifications, including the removal of conventional fins and reliance on thrust vector control, reduce the missile’s radar cross-section while improving maneuverability. Iranian defense officials estimate the missile’s circular error probable (CEP) at approximately 30 meters at maximum range—a level of precision that, combined with its heavy warhead, results in significant destructive capability.
Operational Readiness and Multipoint Impact
Fuel longevity has been extended through changes in tank alloys and fuel composition, enabling long-term storage and rapid deployment. The missile can be launched from mobile platforms, with preparation time reportedly reduced to under 15 minutes.
IRGC officials have previously stated that a single Khorramshahr missile can generate multiple impact points in a target area, dramatically increasing its battlefield effect. In mass deployment scenarios, this capability would impose severe strain on defensive systems.
Strategic Implications
The unveiling of Khorramshahr-4 within an underground missile city highlights a broader shift in regional military dynamics. As large, high-cost platforms face increasing challenges from precision, speed, and concealment, the balance continues to move toward systems designed for survivability, rapid response, and asymmetric deterrence.
In this context, Khorramshahr-4 is not presented merely as a weapon, but as a strategic statement—one that reflects Iran’s emphasis on deterrence through resilience, readiness, and escalation control.
MNA/6741671
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