Iran's Missile Capability: A Threat to London and Paris?

Tue Mar 24 2026 00:43:23 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Recent missile launches by Iran have raised concerns about its ability to target UK and European cities, including London and Paris. Experts discuss the implications of these developments.

Reports indicate that Iranian missiles attempted to target a US-UK military base in Diego Garcia, sparking fears about the range of Iran's missile capabilities. Although the missiles managed to reach approximately 3,000km, experts caution that the threat to cities like London and Paris, while theoretically possible, remains low due to missile accuracy concerns and existing defense measures in place in Europe.

Iran's Missile Capability: A Threat to London and Paris?

In a recent series of missile launches, Iran attempted to strike the US-UK military base in Diego Garcia, located nearly 4,000 kilometers from Iran. This action has reignited discussions regarding the extent of Iranian missile capabilities and whether they pose a real threat to European cities such as London and Paris.

According to UK Defence Secretary John Healey, two missiles were fired, of which one was shot down, and the other failed to reach its target. This has raised questions about the true range of Iranian missiles, especially considering that one missile traveled approximately 3,000km, leading some experts to speculate that Iran may be able to hit parts of Europe.

Sidharth Kaushal from the Royal United Services Institute noted that while Iran has previously claimed to limit its missile range to 2,000km, Israel now suggests that they may have capabilities that extend up to 4,000km, potentially paving the way for attacks on targets across Europe.

However, experts remain cautious. The general consensus is that, although an Iranian missile could theoretically reach London, the actual risk remains low. The inaccuracy of Iranian missiles at such long ranges is a major concern, coupled with the existing air defense systems in Europe designed to neutralize such threats.

Furthermore, US and UK intelligence agencies have measures in place for tracking missile launches from Iran, enhancing the overall security and response capabilities for potential threats. Cities like London have established missile defense systems under NATO, although gaps in the UK's defenses have been identified, particularly following the latest Strategic Defence Review.

Overall, while Iranian missile attacks on Europe are a serious concern, the imminent threat to cities like London and Paris is mitigated by a combination of effective defense systems and the unpredictable nature of missile accuracy.