Iran’s unwillingness to discuss its ballistic missile program with Washington is a “big problem” in talks aimed at averting American strikes on the Islamic Republic, Secretary of State Marco Rubio says.
Iran has one of the largest ballistic missile stockpiles in the Middle East, with several missiles capable of reaching all U.S. bases and sites with an American military presence across the region.
The most recent demonstration of Iran’s missile capabilities came during the 12-day war with Israel in June 2025. During the conflict, Tehran launched volleys of ballistic missiles toward Israel, killing dozens of people and damaging residential buildings and apartment blocks in the country’s center and north.
An analysis by the Institute for the Study of War and the AEI Critical Threats Project found that Israel likely destroyed around a third of Iran’s missile launchers during the fighting.
Iranian officials, however, have repeatedly said the country has recovered from the damage sustained in the war and that its missile capabilities are now stronger than before.
