Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and defense officials say the country’s missile production has accelerated following June bombardment by Israel and the United States.<\/b>
\nFive months after Israel and the U.S.\u2019 bombardment of Iran\u2019s military and nuclear facilities, Iran claims it now has more missile capacity than even before the 12-Day War.
That buildup would have implications far beyond the Middle East: renewed Iranian production could threaten American forces stationed across the region and test Israel\u2019s missile defense limits, potentially pulling Washington into another confrontation if Tehran resumes strikes or proxy attacks.
\u00ab\u00a0Iran\u2019s missile power today far surpasses that of the 12-Day War\u00a0\u00bb, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently declared, touting what he described as the regime\u2019s rapid recovery from the massive U.S. and Israeli bombardment that struck dozens of military and nuclear sites in June. \u00ab\u00a0The enemy in the recent 12-day war failed to achieve all its objectives and was defeated\u00a0\u00bb, he said.
His comments were echoed by Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, who claimed that Iran\u2019s defense industry has not only rebounded but expanded. \u00ab\u00a0Iran\u2019s defense production has improved both in quantity and quality compared to before the 12-day Israeli-imposed war in June\u00a0\u00bb, Nasirzadeh said Monday, insisting that new missiles are rolling off production lines faster than ever.
The June conflict \u2014 later dubbed the 12-Day War \u2014 began when Israel launched a sustained bombing campaign on Iran\u2019s nuclear and missile infrastructure. The United States joined the operation days later with a series of precision strikes on Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities.
Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that Iran\u2019s renewed emphasis on missile production is no surprise given what it learned during the June conflict.
\u00ab\u00a0There\u2019s no doubt that after the 12-Day War, Tehran understands the missiles constitute the long pole in its ability to deter and punish attacks\u00a0\u00bb, Taleblu said. \u00ab\u00a0Expect Tehran to therefore concentrate on building back better when it comes to its missile program, which pre-war was already the largest in the region.\u00a0\u00bb
He warned that Iran\u2019s accelerating focus on missile development could be the spark for the next regional conflict. \u00ab\u00a0It\u2019s for this reason that the next likely conflict between Israel and Iran may well be brought about by missile concerns, not nuclear\u00a0\u00bb, Taleblu said.
\u00ab\u00a0Moving forward, I\u2019d pay attention to the \u2018missile math\u2019 between Israel and Iran\u00a0\u00bb, he added. \u00ab\u00a0Much now depends on rates of production between Israeli interceptors and Iranian medium-range ballistic missiles.\u00a0\u00bb
Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, head of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, said Tehran\u2019s post-war threats reflect both internal pressure and an effort to regain leverage.
After the U.S. bombed Iran\u2019s nuclear sites, Tehran said talks on a renewed nuclear deal were off. Washington has insisted Iran must give up all enrichment capacity, while Tehran claims it will continue enrichment for civil purposes.
Kuperwasser said Iran\u2019s hardliners are using missile rhetoric to test international resolve. \u00ab\u00a0They are attempting to pressure the international community to ease sanctions and diplomatic isolation by issuing threats of escalation\u00a0\u00bb, he said. \u00ab\u00a0To make these threats credible, and drawing lessons from the war in June, they are working intensively to replenish their arsenal of long-range missiles.\u00a0\u00bb
Kuperwasser warned that while Iran\u2019s nuclear ambitions remain, its focus on missile production shows the regime\u2019s priority is deterrence. \u00ab\u00a0Their threats should not be dismissed\u00a0\u00bb, he said. \u00ab\u00a0They must be taken seriously.\u00a0\u00bb
Meanwhile, Tehran has already tested several satellite launch vehicles that use the same multi-stage propulsion and guidance systems needed for an intercontinental ballistic missile. Washington has repeatedly accused Iran of using its civilian space program as cover for developing technologies that could deliver nuclear payloads at intercontinental range.<\/p>\n