According to Inbar, two basic features determine whether a missile can be equipped with a nuclear warhead: the weight the missile can carry (payload capacity) and the physical space inside the warhead compartment. “Every missile with a warhead of roughly 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) could theoretically be fitted with a nuclear warhead,” he explained.
This would include Iran’s Shahab-3 missile family — a series of medium-range ballistic missiles based on the North Korean Scud platform — and its more advanced variants such as the Ghadr and Emad, which have been used in the current conflict.“It’s not a huge technical problem,” Inbar said. “They already have missiles capable of carrying the necessary weight.”
The missiles Iran has fired at Israel thus far have a range of around 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles). But, Inbar notes, Iran’s capabilities go farther. “They have the ability to reach over 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) — at least with one type of missile, which they haven’t used yet,” he said. (Read More)