Three Shahid Haj Qasem ballistic missiles prepared for launch during the IRGC's Exercise ‘Great Prophet 18'. (Tasnim News Agency)

Iran's defence minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh unveiled a ballistic missile called the Qasem Basir that has an electro-optical guidance system on 3 May.

In an interview with Iranian television, Brig Gen Nasirzadeh described the Qasem Basir as an upgraded missile with improved manoeuvrability, so it can more effectively evade missile defence systems, and a guidance system that is immune to electronic warfare.

He showed a video of a missile that looked like the Shahid Haj Qasem being launched, which included black-and-white footage that appeared to be filmed by its seeker as it descended towards its target, implying it uses an infrared sensor to find its target.

Brig Gen Nasirzadeh was cited in the interview as saying the Qasem Basir also has a new carbon-fibre body that makes it almost invisible to radar. He added that the missile upgrade uses the lessons learned from operations ‘True Promise 1' and ‘True Promise 2', the missile attacks on Israel on 13–14 April 2024 and 1 October 2024 respectively, and that Iranian experts estimate that Iran's enemies will now only be able to intercept fewer than five of 200–300 missiles launched in a future attack.

The Qasem Basir was said to have a range of at least 1,200 km but no figure was given for the size of its warhead.

Named after the late Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, the Shahid Haj Qasem was unveiled in August 2020 and reportedly has a range of 1,400 km with a 500 kg warhead.

A consignment of missiles that included three Haj Qasems was formally handed over to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Aerospace Force (IRGCAF) in August 2023. Three Haj Qasems were seen in the February 2024 media coverage of the IRGCAF's Exercise ‘Great Prophet 18', which simulated an attack on Israel's Palmachim Air Base and also involved Emad and Etemad liquid-fuel ballistic missiles.

The ballistic missile component of the exercise may have been held the previous month. When several missiles reportedly went astray and hit a petrochemical plant near the coastal city of Chabahar on 10 January, the governor of Sistan and Baluchestan province said the incident was related to the IRGC's then unannounced ‘Great Prophet' exercise. The subsequent media coverage of the exercise showed the ballistic missile launch site was 7 km east of the petrochemical plant.

For more information, please seeNew ballistic missile types delivered to IRGC .