Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Inaugurates New Underground Ballistic ‘Missile City’

At a moment the question of the Biden administration’s reentry into the 2015 nuclear deal remains in doubt – despite the admin seeking to assure that “indirect diplomacy” is taking place through the Europeans – tensions are soaring in the region and the prospect of a major regional war between Israel, Iran and Syria is now greater than ever. 

For starters, it appears Israel and Iran are engaged in a shadow war to sabotage each other’s tankers in places like the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman. Signaling continued military preparations in this tit-for-tat saga which has witnessed what was for years a proxy battle fast becoming a more ‘direct’ confrontation, on Monday Iran’s IRGC Navy unveiled a new underground missile base, video footage of which was featured in state media.

IRGC naval force reveals new ‘missile city’ pic.twitter.com/HsjKMGkBaa

— Press TV (@PressTV) March 15, 2021

Iranian state media dubbed it an advanced “missile city” containing cruise and ballistic missiles able to hit targets at “multiple ranges” and with 360-degree firing power. The particular imagery featured, however, may have been teased earlier in January. The base appears to have now been formally activated. 

The Fars agency emphasized these weapons were all domestically produced by the Iranian Defense Ministry in conjunction with the elite Revolutionary Guard. IRGC commander Major General Hossein Salami was reportedly present at the base, location undisclosed, along with the commander of the IRGC’s Navy, Ali Reza Tangsiri.

Salami touted the Islamic Republic’s ability to erect such an impressive and sophisticated underground base even with Washington-led sanctions seeking to stymie such missile development.

“Despite being under sanctions, we have made major technological achievements in the defense industry,” the commander said in what was also clearly a message geared as a warning and threat to Tel Aviv. 

IRGC’s naval force unveils advanced missile site https://t.co/qRnohXdeju pic.twitter.com/prMy4DDVl5

— Press TV (@PressTV) March 15, 2021

Salami also boasted of the ability of a committed Islamic nation to possess such sophisticated defense technology.

“We do not speak out of a vacuum. We are equipped and armed as the enemy is, but there is no effectiveness of such weapons without the presence of believers,” he said. 

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard inaugurates new underground missile facility https://t.co/nQnBuxVfnP

— The Times of Israel (@TimesofIsrael) March 15, 2021

It was only within the last year that Western media began featuring with increasing alarm more and more coverage of Iran’s vastly growing underground arsenal.

The idea is that if under attack the bases can be adequately shielded and defended from enemy assault. Large silos can then open up from the desert floor to strike back.

In years past Iranian state media reports have appeared to validate that the “missile cities” are indeed legitimate and sprawling:

For example Reuters reported last year that “Iran has established underground onshore and offshore missile cities all along the coasts of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that would be a nightmare for Iran’s enemies,” according the statement of a top Iranian commander. 

It should also be noted that the IRGC recently boasted it was expanding naval bases near the Indian Ocean and in the Gulf of Oman. We can imagine that they also include underground facilities such as what are featured in the new images published Monday.