At the Partner 2025 defense exhibition in Belgrade, Iran unveiled the “MIAAD,” a 120 mm semi-active laser-guided mortar round that highlights Tehran’s commitment to expanding low-cost precision strike capabilities.
Designed by the Iranian Ministry of Defence, MIAAD is fully compatible with standard smoothbore mortar tubes and does not require special launchers or fire-control upgrades, allowing for quick integration into existing mortar units.
The round delivers top-attack effects at ranges between 4.5 and 8 km, using a semi-active laser seeker to engage designated targets. Weighing 31 kg with a 10.7 kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead, it is capable of neutralizing light armored vehicles, bunkers, and concentrated enemy personnel. With a reported 70% hit probability, it offers reliable precision even in decentralized or mobile battlefield environments.
MIAAD enables coordinated salvo fire from multiple dispersed mortars, providing enhanced survivability and fire superiority for Iranian-supported forces in conflict zones like Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
Geopolitically, the system strengthens Iran’s role as a supplier of asymmetric firepower, giving Tehran a portable and deniable precision-strike option without committing high-value assets. For NATO and Gulf states, this represents a growing tactical challenge, particularly in urban or contested environments where counter-battery options are limited.
By combining affordability, simplicity, and precision, MIAAD demonstrates Iran’s strategy of building disruptive, exportable weapon systems that can shape regional power dynamics and complicate adversary operations in the years ahead.
