Iran has reportedly launched two ballistic missiles from the area of Urmia in northwestern Iran, with the missiles initially reported to be travelling south.
The launch has not yet been independently verified by major international news agencies, so details about their trajectory, target and outcome remain unclear.
However, the reported launch of ballistic missiles comes days after Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials have warned of possessing “weapons the world has never seen” amidst escalating tensions with the United States and regional conflicts.
BREAKING: Iran has just launched 2 ballistic missiles from Urmia in northwestern Iran, heading south, per initial reports.
— The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) September 24, 2026
The launches come shortly after anonymous "sources" claimed US and Iranian negotiators are exploring a phased path out of the war.
The reported launches come at a particularly sensitive moment, just hours after Reuters reported that US and Iranian negotiators are exploring a phased path toward ending the nearly seven-month war. According to sources familiar with the discussions, a potential arrangement could involve Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Washington lifting its economic blockade, with access to frozen Iranian assets also potentially forming part of a deal.
IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi reportedly said on Monday that any renewed US offensive would trigger a different Iranian response, involving new weapons and targets that have not previously been attacked. The warning comes amid continuing tensions between Tehran and Washington and heightened concern over the security situation around the Strait of Hormuz.
The diplomatic discussions nevertheless face significant obstacles. Reuters reported that neither side wants to surrender its principal leverage first, while Iranian officials have acknowledged substantial differences between Tehran and Washington.
The timing of the reported missile launches therefore adds another layer of uncertainty to the emerging diplomatic track. The purpose of the reported launches remains unknown but it has put the Middle East on edge amidst growing hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz as well as the Red Sea.
Iran has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to launch ballistic missiles during the conflict, including attacks against US-linked military facilities and targets in the Gulf. Earlier reporting documented Iranian ballistic-missile launches toward Gulf states and Israel during the war.
