Iran Unveils Qasem Basir Ballistic Missile With Optical Guidance

Iran has announced the development of its latest ballistic missile, the Qasem Basir, featuring an optoelectronic guidance system.

Iranian Defense Minister General Aziz Nasirzadeh introduced the missile on national television, stating it is designed to resist interception by air defense systems including the U.S.-made THAAD and Patriot, as well as Israel’s Arrow and David’s Sling systems. "The Qasem Basir has improved maneuverability and precision, allowing it to evade sophisticated air defenses," Nasirzadeh said.

The Qasem Basir is an upgraded version of the Haj Qasem medium-range missile. Like its predecessor, it features a detachable warhead with a range of up to 1,400 kilometers but now incorporates an optoelectronic homing head in addition to inertial navigation with satellite signal correction. Iranian media displayed images of the new system during the broadcast.

According to Nasirzadeh, the missile was tested on April 17, striking a designated target at a range exceeding 1,200 kilometers. The defense minister emphasized that lessons learned from previous missile strikes on Israel contributed to enhancements in the missile's maneuverability and targeting accuracy.

The missile’s unveiling follows a recent incident in which an Iranian medium-range missile impacted near Ben Gurion Airport. The Israeli military reported that several interception attempts were made, but the missile landed near the airport perimeter.

The launch coincides with heightened regional tensions, with missiles also reportedly fired from Yemen toward Israel over the past two days. At the time of the Tel Aviv strike, Israel had two American THAAD batteries and at least one Arrow 3 interceptor system operational, covering the nation's airspace.

Experts note that while optical homing heads have been seen on Iran's short-range Zolfaghar Basir missiles, the Qasem Basir marks the first use of such technology on a medium-range ballistic missile. Defense analysts are closely monitoring the development, particularly in light of previous reports that Iran is working on a long-range ballistic missile with an estimated range of 3,000 kilometers, allegedly based on North Korean designs.