Qassem Basir Missile; A Major Leap in Iran’s Ballistic Arsenal

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Originally published by IslamicWorldNews

In May 2025, Iran’s Ministry of Defense unveiled the Qassem Basir, a solid-fuel ballistic missile with a range of 1,200 kilometers. Like other missiles bearing the “Basir” suffix (such as Nasr Basir and Zulfaqar Basir), this new system features an optical seeker, allowing it to independently guide itself during the terminal phase without relying on external navigation systems like GPS. This capability significantly enhances its precision, making it a true pinpoint strike weapon.

The Qassem Basir is an evolution of the Haj Qassem missile, first revealed in August 2020. That missile, itself a development of the Fateh tactical missile family (Fateh-110, Fateh-313, Zulfaqar), featured a larger diameter—90 cm compared to Zulfaqar’s 68 cm—and extended its range to 1,400 km thanks to a more powerful engine. Its warhead and guidance systems were derived from the Zulfaqar design.

Just a month after Haj Qassem’s debut, Iran showcased the Zulfaqar Basir at the Aerospace National Park. Like the Persian Gulf missile and Fateh-110 upgrades, it incorporated an optical seeker, resulting in a 700 km-range anti-ship ballistic missile. Given the similarities between Zulfaqar and Haj Qassem’s warhead design, experts anticipated a future upgrade—now realized with the Qassem Basir.

Optical Seekers: The Missing Link in Iranian Missile Accuracy

Iranian ballistic missiles traditionally rely on inertial navigation systems (INS) using precision gyroscopes, supplemented by satellite-based GPS for mid-course corrections. While INS alone can achieve sub-10-meter accuracy at short ranges (<500 km), longer-range precision has depended on GPS—an Achilles’ heel in electronic warfare environments.

A clear example is Operation True Promise II, where Iranian missiles penetrated enemy defenses but suffered from degraded accuracy due to GPS signal disruption near the target zone.

The Qassem Basir addresses this vulnerability by eliminating reliance on satellite navigation. It uses INS for mid-course guidance and switches to its onboard optical seeker during the final phase, enabling high-precision targeting even under GPS-denied conditions.

Speed, Maneuverability, and Resilience

With mid-phase speeds exceeding Mach 10 and terminal speeds around Mach 5, combined with a maneuverable warhead, the Qassem Basir is designed to evade advanced Israeli and American missile defense systems. The integration of an optical seeker in the nose cone minimizes terminal-phase error, ensuring the warhead strikes its target with exceptional accuracy.

This innovation marks a strategic shift in Iran’s missile doctrine—enhancing survivability, precision, and independence from vulnerable navigation systems. Whether this represents a permanent solution or a transitional upgrade, it undeniably raises the bar for Iran’s long-range strike capabilities.

Video of the unveiling of the Qassem Basir missile and how it works

However, integrating an optical seeker into ballistic missile warheads presents a significant technical challenge namely, the limitations imposed by high terminal speeds. For instance, missiles like the Persian Gulf and Zulfaqar Basir reach speeds of around Mach 3 before impact. In contrast, more advanced systems like the Haj Qassem missile strike their targets at speeds between Mach 4.5 and 5, even without executing evasive maneuvers.

At such velocities or potentially even higher, the performance of optical seekers can degrade. The intense aerodynamic and thermal stress may interfere with the seeker’s functionality or even damage its protective glass covering. In a recently released video, a completely black screen appears at a distance of 161 kilometers from the target, which could indicate either that the seeker was inactive or that a retractable protective cover was still in place.

The latter explanation seems more plausible, given the extreme reentry speeds involved. Without adequate shielding, the seeker’s optics could be compromised before it has a chance to engage the target. This highlights the delicate balance between precision guidance and survivability in high-speed missile design.

Similarity of the nose of the Qassem Basir missile (left image) with the nose and protective covering of the Fateh Mobin missile (right image)

Will Optical Seekers Ultimately Prove Effective in Iranian Ballistic Missiles?

Iran’s ballistic missiles in the 1,200–1,700 km range have demonstrated the ability to penetrate enemy missile defense systems in large numbers and reach their targets. However, accuracy has occasionally suffered due to reliance on GPS, which is vulnerable to jamming and signal disruption. These missiles typically rely on maneuverable warheads and high terminal speeds to evade interception. Yet, with the introduction of optical seekers such as in the Qassem Basir missile, there appears to be a shift in design priorities.

To protect the seeker and ensure precise targeting, Qassem Basir’s warhead reportedly performs more aggressive maneuvers during the final phase of flight, likely to reduce speed and allow the seeker to lock onto its target without damage. While this upgrade significantly improves accuracy, it introduces a new vulnerability: reduced terminal velocity, which could make the warhead more susceptible to interception in heavily defended zones.

Qassem Basir missile

Qassem Basir missile

Despite this trade-off, Qassem Basir represents a cost-effective and accessible solution for enhancing Iran’s missile precision. It may not be ideal as a first-strike weapon against areas protected by dense missile shields, but it could serve effectively as a follow-up missile, launched after enemy defenses are saturated, to strike with high confidence.

According to available reports, this warhead upgrade is being applied to other Iranian ballistic systems as well, marking a major leap in precision capabilities. This evolution not only strengthens Iran’s strategic arsenal but also sends a powerful message to adversaries across land and sea.

Specifications of Qassem Basir missile:

Type: Ballistic
Origin: Iran
Manufacturer: Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics
Launched: 2025
Length: 10.9 meters
Diameter: 0.9 meters
Engine: Single stage
Fuel: Solid composite
Range: 1200 km
Speed ​​in intermediate phase: +10 Mach
Speed ​​in terminal phase: Unknown
CEP: 1 meter
Weight: 7 tons
Warhead: Detachable MaRV
Warhead weight: 500 kg
Guidance: INS – IIR

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