Iran has unveiled the MIAAD, a 120mm laser-guided mortar round, marking a deliberate step up in its domestic precision-strike toolkit. Built by the Iranian Ministry of Defence and shown at Partner 2025 in Belgrade, MIAAD combines the simplicity of conventional mortar employment with a semi-active laser seeker for precision engagement in rugged or denied environments.
Externally the round resembles a standard 120mm mortar munition and can be fired from unmodified smoothbore mortar tubes, meaning crews use the same loading and firing drills and no special launchers or fire-control hardware are required. That low logistical burden makes the system attractive as a cost-effective precision option for asymmetric and proxy forces.
MIAAD’s performance envelope includes top-attack engagements out to about 4.5–8 km. The round weighs 31 kg and carries a 10.7 kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead (4.1 kg of explosive filler). Iranian claims put the hit probability at 0.7, a notable level of accuracy for indirect-fire munitions operating from dispersed or mobile positions.
Tactically, MIAAD can be launched in salvos from multiple mortar tubes against a single laser-designated aimpoint or employed simultaneously against clustered targets without mutual interference, enabling coordinated, survivable strikes by decentralized units. The weapon’s combination of low cost, ease of integration, and precision complicates counter-proliferation and counter-strike planning for Western and regional military planners.
