Iranian Regime Claims It Tested a Long-Range Missile That Can Hit US Eastern Seaboard
The announcement comes as President Donald Trump reportedly considers ‘decisive’ action against the Islamic Republic
Adam Kredo
January 22, 2026
Iran claimed this week to have successfully tested its first long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a capability that would enable Tehran to strike the eastern seaboard of the United States, according to regime-controlled outlets.
The regime purportedly conducted its missile launch from an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps base in the city of Semnan, firing toward Siberia with the approval of the Russian government. The missile would have traveled up to 3,700 miles to reach its target, though video of the supposed launch only shows an airborne projectile soaring through the clouds. The footage was initially posted on social media on Monday by an Iranian professor and subsequently amplified by the regime’s press organs, which claimed the missile is capable of traveling up to 6,200 miles.
Even an unsuccessful test—like the failed ICBM launch in September 2025—is likely to advance Iran’s technical knowledge, and the timing of this particular test suggests the Islamic Republic’s leaders are attempting to stave off a U.S. strike that President Donald Trump indicates is still on the table. Trump issued his strongest statement to date against the Iranian regime last weekend, saying, "It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran." In the meantime, the United States has begun positioning an array of military assets in the region—including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and its strike group—as Trump considers "decisive" action against the regime, according to the Wall Street Journal. The president reportedly called off a strike last week after Israel and other regional allies warned about the Islamic Republic’s ability to respond with missile fire.
Iran has in the past sought to aggressively publicize its missile tests, and the largely quiet nature of the Monday launch outside regime news sources means the Islamic Republic may be serious about refining its ICBM technology and eventually using the missiles on the battlefield.
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https://freebeacon.com/national-security/iranian-regime-claims-it-tested-a-long-range-missile-that-can-hit-uss-eastern-seaboard/
