American Policy Aims Towards
Tehran's Missiles
Iran's Missile Policy Aims
Prevent Iran from developing means to deliver a nuclear weapon
Retain option for delivering a potential nuclear weapon
Impede Iranian missile production
Continue producing missiles and other projectiles
Impede qualitative missile advances
Continue drive for more precise, longer-range, and more reliable missile systems
Thwart foreign procurement of parts and systems
Continue illicit foreign procurement
Intercept, expose, and deter Iranian missile and missile-related technology transfers to other actors
Continue missile and missile-related technology transfers to proxies and partners
Deploy missile defenses to offset Iranian missile advances through deterrence by denial
Use missiles to bolster deterrence by punishment
Get Iran to address missiles in talks
Reject including missiles in talks
Be able to hold Iran’s missile assets and infrastructure at risk militarily
Develop a more mobile, dispersed, and survivable missile force
Minimize the political impact of Iran’s missile systems in its coercive diplomacy in the region
Maximize the impact of missiles on regional coercive diplomacy