How Iran used US ceasefire to replenish its depleted missile stockpiles
Tehran likely added Russian-made weapons to its missile arsenal during the eight-week truce, according to intelligence assessments
Western allies believe Iran has most likely added new-build Russian weapons to its inventory and reconstituted large swathes of its missile arsenal during the eight-week ceasefire, giving the Islamic Republic the firepower to strike back at nearly full strength if hostilities resume.
Tehran has about three-quarters of the munitions it had before the war and can easily build it up further, according to intelligence assessments. That includes unspecified Russian missiles that probably came off the line in the last year, one of the assessments said.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence did not respond to a request for comment.
US President Donald Trump said last week that Iran only had 21 per cent-22 per cent of its missiles remaining.
Intelligence estimates in March said Iran had about 60 per cent of its pre-war missile inventory available in the midst of a US and Israeli air campaign to cripple its long-range strike capability.
From February 28 to April 8, when the ceasefire took effect, Iran launched more than 1,850 missiles around the region and at least twice as many rudimentary Shahed-type cruise missiles.
In the first month of the war, the US and Israel estimated they destroyed about two-thirds of Iran’s launchers. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said in mid-March that the regime’s offensive capability had been reduced by 90 per cent.