Haj Qasem is an Iranian solid-fuel medium-range ballistic missile in the extended Fateh/Zolfaghar design line, named for Qassem Soleimani and reported at roughly 1,400 km range with a 500 kg class payload. Iran displayed the missile in 2020, later introduced the Qassem Basir derivative with revised guidance claims, and Iranian state-linked reporting tied Haj Qasem to strike waves in the 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict and 2026 Iran War.
Press TV described Haj Qassem as one of the ballistic missiles Iran deployed in Operation True Promise III; Kurdistan24, citing CNN and Fars reporting, said Iran claimed Haj Qassem use in the June 15, 2025 wave that struck Israel.
Role detailsTehran Times, citing IRGC Public Relations, and Xinhua, citing Tasnim reporting on IRGC claims, reported that Iran fired Haj Qasem missiles on March 17, 2026, against Israeli locations and U.S. regional bases.
Haj Qasem is best treated as a named Iranian MRBM in the extended Fateh/Zolfaghar branch rather than as a fully transparent Western-documented program. Iran Watch gives the clearest compact public data row, Iran Primer and CSIS support the family context and 2020 reveal, and IISS adds technical comparison to Zolfaghar. Iranian state-linked outlets provide the direct conflict-use claims, so the conflict rows preserve that attribution instead of treating damage or interception claims as independently confirmed.
Fateh-type design principles, longer range than Zolfaghar and Dezful, solid fuel, and a larger estimated motor diameter than Zolfaghar are the strongest cross-source themes.
Qassem Basir is reported by Janes, Mehr, AP, RFE/RL, and Iran Watch as a later missile with shorter claimed range and enhanced guidance; Mehr explicitly presents it as an upgraded Haj Qasem derivative.
Public sources directly name Haj Qasem in Iranian strike-wave reporting, but independent battle-damage attribution to specific missile models remains limited.
Open-source references describe Haj Qasem as a longer-range solid-fuel missile using Fateh-type design principles, with IISS noting similarities to Zolfaghar and Qassem Basir later presented by Iran as an improved derivative.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
 | Fateh family baseline | The Iran Primer describes Haj Qasem as using the same basic design principles as Fateh-type systems but with much longer range. |
 | Intermediate family branch | Iran Primer and CSIS family context place Zolfaghar, Dezful, and Haj Qasem in the extended solid-fuel Fateh-family line; IISS describes Shahid Haj Qasem as similar to Zolfaghar but wider in diameter. Sources: Iran Primer ballistic missile program, CSIS Hajj-Qassem tag, IISS Iran missile capabilities report |
| Qassem Basir | Improved derivative | Janes, AP, and RFE/RL reported Qassem Basir/Qasem Basir as a later solid-fuel missile with at least a 1,200 km range and improved guidance and maneuverability; Mehr identified it as an upgraded Haj Qassem derivative. Sources: Janes Qasem Basir guidance report, Mehr Qassem Basir explainer, AP Qassem Basir unveiling report, RFE Qassem Basir test report |
CSIS reported that Iranian officials revealed footage of the Martyr Hajj Qassem solid-fueled ballistic missile on August 20, 2020.
Sources: CSIS Hajj-Qassem tag
AP reported that Iranian state TV said the Qassem Basir missile had most recently been tested on April 17, 2025, before its public unveiling.
Sources: AP Qassem Basir unveiling report
AP and RFE/RL reported Iran's May 2025 Qassem Basir unveiling and test claims, Janes reported electro-optical guidance claims, and Mehr described Qassem Basir as an upgraded Haj Qassem derivative with improved guidance, maneuverability, and a 1,200 km range.
Sources: Janes Qasem Basir guidance report, Mehr Qassem Basir explainer, AP Qassem Basir unveiling report, RFE Qassem Basir test report
Press TV described Haj Qassem as deployed in recent operations during the 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict, while Kurdistan24 cited CNN and Fars reporting that Iran claimed Haj Qassem use in the June 15 wave against Israel.
Sources: Press TV True Promise III missile list, Kurdistan24 Haj Qassem strike report
Tehran Times and Xinhua reported that the IRGC fired Haj Qasem missiles in the March 17, 2026 wave of Operation True Promise 4 during the 2026 Iran War.
Sources: Tehran Times Haj Qasem 2026 strike report, Xinhua Haj Qasem 2026 strike report
