[FoxNews] 'Decades of appeasement have emboldened this dictatorship,' Iranian dissident says.
A leading Iranian dissident group, the People’s Mojahedin of Iran (MEK), has provided Fox News Digital with information about a secret site where the Islamic Republic of Iran allegedly stores and prepares the missiles it uses against foes, sells to allies and provides to its proxies.
Located in a mountainous region outside of Eshtehard City, northwest of Tehran in Alborz province, the camp, known as the Shahid (Martyr) Soltani Garrison, is heavily guarded and surrounded by two rows of barbed wire. It has purportedly seen increased activity in the latter part of 2024, with the MEK noting that "more than ten trailers carrying missile parts" passed into the camp in July.
Among the weapons stored at the site are the Shahab-3, Qiam, Fateh and Fath series ballistic missiles, the MEK said.
Iran expert, Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said after its "layered attack" on Israel in April, which involved about 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, the Islamic Regime "got rid of the low- and slow-flying" assets and "doubled down on ballistic" weapons. Iran launched more than 180 ballistic missiles into Israeli airspace on Oct. 1.
Taleblu noted that Iran utilized the same liquid-propellant systems from its April attack, the Emad and Ghadr ballistic missiles, which are evolutions of the Shahab-3. He said the October attack also involved the solid-propellant Kheibar Shekan and reportedly even the hypersonic Fattah-1 ballistic missile. An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson also confirmed to Fox News Digital that Iran’s recent attacks included Fattah-1 and Fattah-2 hypersonic ballistic missiles.
During the larger Oct. 1 attack on Israel, two U.S. destroyers intercepted about a dozen Iranian missiles. Neither the Pentagon nor the Defense Intelligence Agency responded to Fox News Digital’s questions about whether American assets have been targeted by the varieties of Iranian ballistic missiles said to be housed at the Eshtehard site, or whether the U.S. has intercepted any of these missiles in the region.
To protect Israel from further Iranian ballistic missile strikes, the U.S. sent its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to Tel Aviv, along with a cadre of 100 U.S. soldiers to operate the system. Taleblu says THAAD will "function as a critical patch in Israel’s existing, already very well-layered air-missile defenses," though with just 48 interceptors, Taleblu says THAAD’s long-term suitability is "debatable."
It is unknown whether ballistic missiles targeting Israel were stored or prepared at the Shahid Soltani Garrison. It is also unknown whether the short-range ballistic missiles Iran provided to Russia, for which Iran was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury and State departments, were held at the location.
The MEK provided satellite imagery showing two distinct sections of the Shahid Soltani Garrison. Above-ground storage sites "were established at least 15 years ago" and include a segment of one-floor warehouses and one three-floor warehouse that offer a combined 6,500 square meters of storage space. Around 10 buildings in another segment of the garrison offer up an additional 3,000 square meters of space. Underground tunnels constructed on the site between 2017 and 2021 offer more storage locations.
According to the report, the Al-Ghadir Missile Command, an element of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force, is responsible for the camp. IRGC Brig. Gen. Partovi was the last known commander of the site. The MEK stated that Col. Mohammad Reza Hakimzadeh and Col. Barati of the Eshtehard Corps of the IRGC are responsible for administrative affairs related to the camp.
In 2010, the Al-Ghadir Missile Command was sanctioned by the U.S. as well as by the EU. Commanders within Al-Ghadir Missile Command, including Mahmoud Bagheri Kazemabad and Mohammad Agha Jafari, have also been subject to U.S. sanctions.
Ballistic missiles of likely and certain Iranian origin have previously targeted U.S. forces. Iran-backed militias fired an unknown close-range ballistic missile at Al Asad Air Base on Nov. 21, 2023, resulting in eight injuries and damage to infrastructure.
On Jan. 8, 2020, Iran launched 27 theater ballistic missiles toward Al Asad Air Base. Of these, 11 Fateh and Qiam missiles landed inside the U.S. base, according to a medical study of the attack’s effects. The missiles’ impact resulted in around 35 cases of traumatic brain injury or concussion.
Taleblu noted that countering Iran’s ballistic missile program will require several lines of effort. On the economic and political end of the spectrum, they are taking on Iran’s trade with China, going after Iran’s domestic and foreign supply chain "for the whole ballistic life cycle" and exposing the rotating array of individuals involved with the ballistic missile program to travel bans and sanctions. In tandem with covert or kinetic operations, the aforementioned efforts "can really handcuff this missile program," Taleblu explained.
Taleblu said the importance of maintaining advanced missile defense systems in order to deter Iranian weapons, hardening U.S. bases,and ensuring "the elements of deterrence by punishment are not only present, but are understood and are credible."
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