Satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press and multiple independent experts have revealed scorch marks at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport, strongly suggesting that Tehran conducted an undeclared missile test on or around September 18, 2025. The event, which Iran has not officially acknowledged, comes at a time of heightened regional tension, following the 12-day war with Israel in June and just as United Nations sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program are poised to be reimposed.
According to AP reporting, the first public hint of the launch came from Iranian social media users who posted images of a striking contrail streaking across the sunset sky over Semnan province on September 18. The Imam Khomeini Spaceport, located about 230 kilometers southeast of Tehran in Semnan province, has been the site of previous major launches by Iran’s civilian space program. However, this time, neither Iranian officials nor state media offered any explanation for the unusual sight, and official silence only fueled speculation.
It wasn’t until satellite images from Planet Labs, taken on September 24 and reviewed by AP, revealed significant scorch marks on the launch pad—marks consistent with a solid-fuel missile launch—that suspicions were confirmed. Fabian Hinz, a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies who specializes in missile technology, told AP, “The scale of the scorching suggested Iran launched a solid-fuel missile, as burning aluminum oxide particles cause such marks.” He added that the north-south pattern of the scorch marks indicated the use of a blast deflector to channel the flames, a hallmark of solid-fuel missile launches.
While Iranian authorities have remained tight-lipped, Mohsen Zanganeh, a member of parliament’s budget committee from Khorasan Razavi province, appeared on state television on September 20 and made a bold claim. “The night before last we tested one of the country’s most advanced missiles, which until now had not, so to speak, been trialed—and that test was successful,” Zanganeh declared. He went further, stating, “I mean to say that even under these conditions we are conducting a security test of an intercontinental-range missile.” Zanganeh offered no evidence to support his assertion, and Iranian lawmakers have a history of making exaggerated claims. Nevertheless, his statement was enough to spark alarm in Washington, Jerusalem, and other capitals.
Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) typically have ranges greater than 5,500 kilometers, far exceeding the 2,000-kilometer limit reportedly set by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The 2,000-kilometer range covers much of the Middle East, including Israel and American military bases, but an ICBM would put all of Europe—and potentially parts of the American homeland—within reach. The U.S. military’s Central Command did not respond to requests for comment, but the implications are clear: if Zanganeh’s claim is accurate, Iran’s missile program may be entering a new and more dangerous phase.
The international response has been swift and concerned. According to a policy brief from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), Iran’s arsenal of ballistic missiles was significantly reduced by Israeli strikes during the June war, dropping from an estimated 2,500-3,000 missiles and 300-400 transporter erector launchers (TELs) to roughly 1,300-1,500 missiles and 150-200 TELs. Yet, as Behnam Ben Taleblu, FDD’s senior director for the Iran Program, noted, “Israel’s successes in the 12-day war against Iran’s missile attacks reinforced for Tehran the importance of developing more ballistic missiles and qualitatively better versions of them. Consider this part of Tehran’s efforts to build back better, and as quickly as possible.”
Iran’s space program is closely intertwined with its missile ambitions. The Imam Khomeini Spaceport has previously been used to launch the solid-fueled Zuljanah missile, which is capable of placing satellites into orbit. The U.S. government has expressed concern that technology developed for space launches could be adapted for military purposes, including the development of ICBMs. According to U.S. intelligence estimates cited in the FDD brief, Iran could possess as many as 60 ICBMs by 2035 if current trends continue—a scenario U.S. policy under National Security Presidential Memorandum-2 (NSPM-2) is explicitly designed to prevent.
Despite these concerns, U.S. intelligence agencies currently assess that Iran is not actively pursuing a nuclear bomb, though the country has enriched uranium to up to 60% purity—a technical step away from weapons-grade levels. For any nuclear weapon to be deliverable via missile, Iran would also need to miniaturize a warhead, something there is no public evidence it has achieved. Still, the combination of missile development and uranium enrichment keeps international watchdogs and policymakers on edge.
Analysts caution that, despite the dramatic claims, many questions remain unanswered. The erratic contrail observed over Semnan province and the lack of any official acknowledgment from Iran or confirmation of a successful satellite launch suggest the possibility of a failed test. Fabian Hinz observed, “The problem is that so much happens with Iran. It’s hard to say what is coincidental and what is a pattern.” Even a failed test, however, offers valuable data to Iranian engineers and serves as a signal to adversaries that Tehran is undeterred by recent setbacks or mounting international pressure.
Tehran’s missile program is overseen by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force, which is also responsible for the development of solid-propellant space-launch vehicles (SLVs). Less than a month after the June war, Iran publicly launched an SLV, marking its first missile test since the conflict. The FDD brief emphasizes that Iran’s interest in space technology is not separate from its pursuit of longer-range missiles. “Iran can use SLV launches to work towards an ICBM,” the brief notes, echoing longstanding U.S. suspicions about the dual-use nature of Iran’s space program.
In response to Iran’s ongoing missile activities, the Trump administration in 2025 imposed two rounds of sanctions targeting Iran’s missile propellant and technology procurement networks. However, experts say more is needed to expose and handicap the sources of support for Iran’s missile proliferation. “With Iran using ballistic missiles more often, focusing on exposing and handicapping their sources of support will need to remain a top priority,” wrote Taleblu in the FDD policy brief.
As the world watches for Iran’s next move, the recent unannounced missile test—whether successful or not—serves as a stark reminder that the country’s missile ambitions remain undimmed. The coming weeks, with the reimposition of U.N. sanctions and ongoing repairs to damaged missile sites, will be critical in determining whether Tehran’s missile program continues to advance unchecked or faces new obstacles from the international community.
For now, the scorch marks at Semnan stand as silent testimony to a shadowy launch, one that has reignited debate about Iran’s intentions and capabilities at a moment when the stakes for regional and global security could hardly be higher.
