{"id":312775,"date":"2025-07-28T06:16:49","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T06:16:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=312775"},"modified":"2025-07-30T07:38:29","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T07:38:29","slug":"explainer-is-khorramshahr-5-poised-to-become-irans-first-intercontinental-ballistic-missile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=312775","title":{"rendered":"Explainer: Is \u2018Khorramshahr-5\u2019 poised to become Iran\u2019s first intercontinental ballistic missile?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Yousef Ramazani \u2013 Press TV July 27, 2025<\/strong><\/h1>\n

The growing speculation about the Khorramshahr-5, Iran’s potential first intercontinental-range ballistic missile (ICBM), suggests that\u00a0the country could soon join the small circle of countries\u00a0with such weapons.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In recent days, reports have been circulating about\u00a0the Khorramshahr-5, an ICBM with extremely high capabilities. It reportedly has a range of 12,000 kilometers, a speed of Mach 16, and a 2-ton warhead.<\/p>\n

Unlike previous official unveilings of major Iranian military achievements, which are usually announced by the Ministry of Defense or the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), the news of the Khoramshahr-5 originated from unofficial sources.<\/p>\n

Some media outlets falsely reported that a missile test had been\u00a0conducted, sharing\u00a0footage of the Khorramshahr-4 test from 2023. However, the possibility that the missile is ready cannot be ruled out.<\/p>\n

Iran has always maintained that its missile program is defensive, adhering\u00a0to a self-imposed range limit of 2,000 km, as stated by senior officials in 2015 and reaffirmed in subsequent years.<\/p>\n

Iranian leaders, including those from the IRGC, have in the past denied pursuing ICBMs, arguing that existing missiles are sufficient to neutralize\u00a0threats from the Israeli regime and US bases in the region.<\/p>\n

Following recent changes in regional dynamics\u00a0and the unprovoked\u00a0Israeli-American aggression against the Islamic Republic, there is a possibility that the long-standing stance\u00a0could\u00a0be revised.<\/p>\n

What is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a long-range guided missile designed to deliver different types of warheads across continents, with a minimum range of 5,500 kilometers.<\/p>\n

With reduced warhead mass, some ICBMs can have a maximum range of up to 16 or even 18 thousand kilometers, covering almost every land location on Earth.<\/p>\n

ICBMs are two-stage or three-stage and usually large in size, 20 to 30 meters high and 2-3 meters in diameter, although there are also advanced miniature versions with almost half that\u00a0size.<\/p>\n

These missiles are launched from silos, mobile launchers, or submarines, and use a first stage, sometimes with rocket boosters, to exit the atmosphere.<\/p>\n

Traveling through space in a parabolic arc, they can reach speeds of Mach 20+ (over 24,000 km\/h) and release multiple warheads (MIRV) or decoys to evade defenses.<\/p>\n

Warheads descend at extreme speeds (15,000\u201324,000 km\/h), protected by heat shields. Precision guidance systems like inertial navigation and GPS ensure target accuracy. Typical full-range flight time is 30\u201340 minutes.<\/p>\n

The primary strategic role of active ICBMs in the service of world powers is to deliver nuclear weapons, as one element of the nuclear triad, along with bombers and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM).<\/p>\n

Although rarely used so far, ICBM warheads can be conventional or contain hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV) that can maneuver and glide at hypersonic speed.<\/p>\n

ICBMs are among the most powerful weapons ever created, reshaping global geopolitics since their Cold War debut. Modern air defense systems can shoot them down, but intercepting ICBMs mid-flight remains highly challenging.<\/p>\n

What are the specifications of Khorramshahr-5?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

According to some media reports, the Khorramshahr-5 is an ICBM with an operational range of up to 12,000 kilometers, a distance that covers the entire mainland United States.<\/p>\n

This figure is much higher than Iran’s current longest-range ballistic missiles, specifically the Khorramshahr (1-4), which is estimated to have a range of up to 4,000 kilometers.<\/p>\n

The Simorgh carrier rocket would also have a similar range if converted to a ballistic missile, and the intercontinental range would be reached by the converted Soroush-1 and Soroush-2 carrier rockets, both currently under development, with payloads 10 to 20 times greater than the Simorgh, respectively.<\/p>\n

However, it is unlikely that a potential ICBM would be based on these civilian carrier rockets, which are bulky, slow to load with fuel, and thus easy targets for an enemy in the event of an all-out war.<\/p>\n

The Khorramshahr-5 missile’s speed has been\u00a0reported to be Mach 16 (approximately 20,000 km\/h), typical of ICBMs in mid- or terminal flight.<\/p>\n

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\uf3a5 Iranian Weapon: Iran’s Air Defense System 1<\/p>\n

\uf53bIran\u2019s warships, missiles, drones have surprised much of the world \u2014 yet they represent only a glimpse of its true capabilities.<\/p>\n

\uf4fa Tune into Press TV<\/p>\n

\uf5d3 Tuesday, July 29th<\/p>\n

\uf567 00:30 | 05:30 | 11:30 | 16:30 | 21:30 GMT pic.twitter.com\/FBoGLmT3MP<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Press TV Documentary (@presstvdoc) July 26, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n