The Ghadr/Qadr family is an Iranian road-mobile medium-range ballistic missile line derived from the Shahab-3, with open-source references using Ghadr, Qadr, Ghadr-1, Ghadr-110, Ghadr-H, Qadr-H, Qadr-F, Emad, and related labels unevenly across variants. CSIS and Iran Watch describe Ghadr-class missiles as deployed Iranian systems with roughly 1,600-1,950 km range and a payload near 750-800 kg, while Iranian state reporting directly connects Ghadr-H/Qadr-H/Kheibar, Qadr/Qader, Emad, and one source-limited Badr wording to long-range strikes in the 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict and 2026 Iran War.
Iranian state and state-aligned reporting said the IRGC fired Ghadr-H/Qadr-H/Kheibar missiles during the 21st wave of Operation True Promise III against Israel on June 23, 2025; ISNA also reported Emad and Qadr missiles in that wave, while Press TV earlier reported Emad among medium-range missiles used during the operation. The Badr and Kheibar Shekan wording is treated as separate source-limited reporting rather than confirmed Ghadr/Qadr-family designation evidence.
Role detailsIranian state and IRGC-linked reporting said Emad and Qadr missiles were used in Operation True Promise 4 waves during the 2026 Iran War, including March 24 strikes on Eilat, Dimona, northern Tel Aviv, and U.S. bases and an April 2 wave against central Israeli areas.
Emad is retained on this Ghadr/Qadr family page because the strongest technical sources treat it as a Shahab-series/Ghadr derivative or guided reentry-vehicle configuration rather than a clean-sheet missile. The family labels are not used consistently in public reporting, so the page keeps Emad, Ghadr, Qadr, Ghadr-H, Qadr-H, Kheibar, and the source-limited Badr wording discoverable while avoiding a separate unsourced conflict-use split. For broader context, see the Iranian ballistic missiles family page.
CSIS and CRS connect Ghadr-1 and Emad-1 to Shahab-3-derived MRBM development.
DIA describes Emad-1 as a Shahab-3 variant with a maneuverable reentry vehicle, while CSIS frames Emad as a reentry vehicle fitted to a Shahab-3 or Ghadr rocket.
Press TV used Badr in a June 2025 sentence about Iranian medium-range missiles, but the stronger technical lane supports Ghadr/Qadr, Ghadr-H/Qadr-H/Kheibar, and Emad labels rather than a separate Badr MRBM record.
IISS and other open sources caution that detailed variant boundaries and performance claims remain difficult to verify from public evidence.
Open sources treat Ghadr, Ghadr-1, Qadr-1, Ghadr-110, and Qadr-110 as overlapping labels for Shahab-3-derived Iranian MRBMs; Ghadr-H, Qadr-H, Qadr-F, and Qadr-S appear mainly in Iranian reporting, and Emad is handled here as an adjacent Shahab-3/Ghadr-derived guided reentry-vehicle configuration unless split into a separate public record.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ghadr-1 / Qadr-1 | Early Shahab-3-derived designation | Iran Watch says an upgraded Shahab-3 tested in August 2004 was later designated Ghadr-1, and that Iran displayed a Ghadr-1/Qadr-1 in September 2007. Sources: Iran's Missile Milestones |
| Ghadr-110 / Qadr-110 | Alternate Ghadr-1 designation | CSIS describes Ghadr-1 as an improved Shahab-3A also referred to as Ghadr-101 and Ghadr-110. Sources: Emad, Ghadr (Shahab-3 Variants) |
| Ghadr-H / Qadr-H | Qadr family range variant | Iran Press describes Qadr-H as a liquid-fuel Qadr variant with a roughly 1,650-1,700 km range; Tasnim reported Qadr-H launches in March 2016 exercises, and Press TV later used the Ghadr-H spelling for the multiwarhead Kheibar-class missile in June 2025. Sources: Qadr missile; symbol of achieving new missile capabilities, IRGC Test-Fires Different Types of Qadr Ballistic Missiles, Press TV Ghadr-H 2025 |
| Qadr-F | Longer-range Qadr family variant | Iran Press describes Qadr-F as a liquid-fuel Qadr variant with a roughly 1,948-2,000 km range; Tasnim reported Qadr-F launches in March 2016 exercises. Sources: Qadr missile; symbol of achieving new missile capabilities, IRGC Test-Fires Different Types of Qadr Ballistic Missiles |
| Qadr-S | Poorly documented Qadr family variant | Iran Press says little information has been released about Qadr-S, but gives a reported range of about 1,350 km. Sources: Qadr missile; symbol of achieving new missile capabilities |
| Emad | Shahab-3/Ghadr-derived adjacent variant | CSIS treats Emad alongside Ghadr as a Shahab-3 variant and describes it as a re-entry vehicle fitted to a Shahab-3 or Ghadr rocket rather than a completely new missile. Sources: Emad, Ghadr (Shahab-3 Variants) |
CSIS includes a caption identifying a military truck carrying a long-range Ghadr-1 missile.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Military truck | The caption on the CSIS Ghadr page identifies a military truck carrying a long-range Ghadr-1 missile. Sources: CSIS Ghadr truck caption |
Iran Watch says Iran tested an upgraded Shahab-3 with a larger fuel tank and modified reentry vehicle that was later designated Ghadr-1.
Sources: Iran's Missile Milestones
Iran Watch reports that Iran displayed a Ghadr-1, also written Qadr-1, during a military parade and claimed a 1,800 km range.
Sources: Iran's Missile Milestones
CSIS reports Iran announced a test of the Emad, treated by analysts as a Shahab-3/Ghadr-based missile with a guided reentry vehicle.
Sources: Emad, Ghadr (Shahab-3 Variants)
Tasnim reported that IRGC forces launched Qadr-H and Qadr-F ballistic missiles from northern Iran during missile exercises.
Sources: IRGC Test-Fires Different Types of Qadr Ballistic Missiles
Iranian state reporting said the IRGC fired multiwarhead Kheibar missiles, identified with Ghadr-H and Qadr-H wording, during the 21st wave of Operation True Promise III.
Sources: Press TV Ghadr-H 2025, IRNA Kheibar Qadr-H 2025, Iran Launches Multiwarhead Kheibar Missiles at Israeli Regime
Mehr and Tasnim reported IRGC statements saying Emad and Qadr missiles were used in 2026 Operation True Promise 4 waves against Israeli and U.S.-linked targets.
Sources: Mehr True Promise 4 Wave 78, Tasnim True Promise 4 Wave 89
