Iran has always been the center of attention of world powers due to its offensive military approach. In 2025, Iran is engaged in war and several maritime and proxy incidents.
The most significant military engagement is the Iran-Israel war. During this 12-day direct conflict, Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones as part of “Operation True Promise III.”
Recently, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian warned that his country was facing a “full-fledged war” with the United States, Israel and European powers.
Speaking on the official forum of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Pezeshkian said: “In my opinion, we are in a full-fledged war with America, Israel and Europe. They do not want our country to stand on its own two feet.”
These remarks underline that Iran is once again surrounded by military tensions. But will its military capabilities be sufficient to maintain its sovereignty in such a tense environment?
Here is a look at Iran’s military capabilities acquired in 2025 to help understand whether it is equipped to position itself strongly on the world stage.
Ballistic and cruise missiles
At the heart of Iran’s strategic arsenal are its ballistic and cruise missiles, which serve both a deterrent and retaliatory role.
Iranian forces continue to conduct missile tests and exercises, demonstrating their resilience and modernization despite June 2025 losses.
As the New York Post reports, Iran conducted new ballistic tests a few months after the June conflict, with launches reported near Tehran, Isfahan and Mashhad.
In May 2025, Iran unveiled the Qassem Bassir. It is a new medium-range ballistic missile, with a range of approximately 1,200 km, with an advanced guidance system.
During the year-end naval exercise “Eghtedar (Power)”, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced the use of long-range missiles with a range exceeding the length of the Persian Gulf. With a range of more than 989 km, the missiles demonstrate both coastal defense and regional strike potential, reports Tehran Timetable.
Iranian naval commanders also affirm plans to develop supersonic cruise missiles with a range of up to 2,000 km, enhancing maritime strike and anti-access area denial (A2/AD) capabilities.
Drones
Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs have grown rapidly. It focuses on both high-end strike capabilities and large-scale proliferation.
In January 2025, the Iranian military fielded 1,000 advanced drones, including strategic, stealth and anti-fortification models with a range of more than 2,000 km, reports Reuters. They also have reduced visibility and large payload capacities.
Another separate military exercise in 2025 will highlight several new types of Iranian drones, including short-range reconnaissance drones intended for Kamikaze. It also features several multi-platforms capable of carrying out anti-armor and reconnaissance missions.
Long-endurance models like the Quds Mohajer 10 remain central to Iran’s strike doctrine, traveling up to 2,000 km with a 24-hour mission profile and carrying a mix of guided munitions.
These approaches highlight that in 2025, Iran has focused on the strategy of asymmetric aerial lethality, enabling continuous surveillance and strike capability over much of the Middle East and beyond.
Naval power and maritime strategy
With or without escalation of military tensions, Iran must maintain an advanced maritime strategy and effective naval power through the “Strait of Hormuz.”
The strait is a narrow waterway that constitutes one of the most strategic maritime corridors in the world. In late 2025, the IRGC intensified its presence and operational activities along the strait, conducting large-scale naval exercises.
Iranian naval capabilities focus on asymmetric maritime control, with missile boats, drone carriers and cruise missiles at the forefront.
The IRIS Shahid Bagheri, commissioned in early 2025, presents Tehran’s first drone carrier, capable of deploying drones, helicopters and anti-ship missiles hundreds of kilometers from ports.
This year’s naval exercise also involved simultaneous firings of ballistic and cruise missiles in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, in addition to striking simulated enemy bases, highlighting integrated strike concepts at sea.
Iran’s naval capabilities are also sufficient to completely control and seize the choke point. Beyond the exercises, recent incidents highlight Iran’s active role in implementing its maritime security demands.
In December 2025, the IRGC seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker near the strait, arresting its crew and moving the vessel to Iranian waters under the pretext of an anti-smuggling operation, P.A. reports.
Outlook
By 2026, Iranian defense should focus on missile modernization, drone proliferation and maritime deterrence reinforced by a strategic partnership, particularly with Russia in the space and defense sectors. At the same time, Tehran’s intention is to resist external pressures and emphasize its importance in regional balances of power.
