The Shahab-1 is an Iranian variant of the Russian SS-1C ‘Scud-B,’ with few distinguishing features.¹ It is a single-stage, liquid-fueled, short-range ballistic missile with a maximum range of 300 km.² Iran employed Shahab-1s extensively during the 1990s and early 2000s against Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) camps in Iraq.³

Shahab-1 Development

The Shahab-1 traces its origin to the Russian SS-1C ‘Scud-B’. During its 1980s war with Iraq, Iran sought to acquire the capability to carry out strikes beyond its territory and retaliate against attacks on its cities and infrastructure.⁴ Subsequently, Iran purchased approximately 20 Scud-B missiles from Libya in early 1985, 12 more from Syria in 1986, and other related technologies.⁵

In 1987, Iran purchased another 120 Scud-Bs (among other weaponry) from North Korea (DPRK) in a $5 million arms deal.⁶ Between 1987 and 1995, Iran purchased an additional 200-300 Scud missiles and four Transporter erector launchers (TEL) from North Korea.⁷ Iran and North Korea continued their military cooperation and technology exchanges in subsequent years.⁸

In one of these DPRK-Iran arrangements at the end of the Iran-Iraq War, North Korea agreed to help Iran develop the industrial infrastructure necessary to manufacture, assemble, and maintain an indigenous Scud-B variant.⁹ These variants imported from the DPRK – as well as those now assembled in Iran – were named the Shahab-1 (translation: “Meteor-1”). The Shahab-1 is nearly identical to the North Korean Scud-B variant (Hwasong-5), although it likely incorporates materials more accessible to Iran.¹⁰

In 1988, North Korea assisted Iran with setting up an operational Scud-B assembly plant.¹¹ In 1993 or 1994, Iran inaugurated its first production lines of Shahab-1 missiles.¹² Iran began manufacturing Shahab-1 missiles indigenously around 1994, with production sites located in Parchin, Semnan, Shiraz, and Khorramabad.¹³

Specifications

The Shahab-1 reportedly has a length of 11.184 m, a body diameter of 0.885 m, and a launch weight of 5,862 to 5,950 kg.¹⁴ The missile has a range between 285-330 km while equipped with a 985 kg high-explosive warhead, although it may also be equipped with a chemical, biological, or nuclear warhead.¹⁵ The Shahab-1 uses inertial navigation system (INS) guidance, which likely gives it a circular error probability (CEP) of approximately 500 m, though some estimate the CEP closer to 700 m.¹⁶ The missile is single-staged, employs liquid propellant, and is launched from the Soviet/Russian MAZ-543P transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle.¹⁷

Service History

Iran fired nearly 100 Scud-B missiles against Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War, with its first launches in March 1985. Iran conducted 13 launches in 1985 and at least eight in 1986, quickly employing the missiles it purchased from Libya and Syria. Iran fired 77 Scuds in 1988 following its bulk purchase from North Korea the previous year.¹⁸

As part of the “War of the Cities” in the Iran-Iraq War in 1988, Iran fired 61 Scud missiles at Baghdad, nine at Mosul, and five at Kirkuk.¹⁹ Between the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq War, Iran fired a significant number of Shahab-1 missiles at Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) camps in Iraq.²⁰ According to the MKO, Iran launched six Scud missiles between November 6 and November 9, 1994, three on June 10, 1999, and an undisclosed number on November 2 and 9, 1999.²¹ On April 18, 2001, Iran fired approximately 30 Shahab-1s at MKO camps within a three-hour and fifteen-minute period. The six targeted camps included Anzali, Alavi, Ashraf, Faiz, Homayun, and Habib.²²

Iran test-fired the Shahab-1 in November 2006, July 2008, September 2009, and twice in June 2011. Local media reports suggest these tests were all successful.²³ As of 2024, Iran reportedly still had about 200 to 300 Shahab-1 and Shahab-2 missiles.²⁴ There have been no reports of Iranian usage of Shahab-1 missiles in any of its Operation True Promise missions.