TEHRAN - Iran told Pakistani mediators it still holds 15,000 missiles and 45,000 drones, believes it is winning the conflict, and will not back down, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. The disclosure came as Tehran cut direct diplomatic contact with the United States while sticking to a hardline position in negotiations. Mediators told the newspaper the numbers were likely exaggerated but said the claim reflected Iran’s firm stance in talks. Pakistani officials believe the figures may be inflated, according to the report.
Iran’s message to mediators arrived as U.S. and Israeli strikes continued and as President Donald Trump’s deadline for a deal approached. Trump had warned that if Iran did not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, “a whole civilization will die.” Hours before that deadline, Iran and the United States agreed to a two-week ceasefire, with negotiations set to take place in Islamabad. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the truce, which took effect immediately.
Iranian officials told mediators Tehran believed it was gaining the upper hand in the conflict against the United States and Israel. According to mediators and a person familiar with the matter, Iran also threatened to retaliate against Gulf nations and target Israeli power and energy infrastructure. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned it would gradually intensify missile strikes on U.S. and Israeli targets.
The Iranian claims about its arsenal size differ sharply from other estimates. Israeli officials earlier estimated Iran had about 1,500 ballistic missiles and 200 launchers remaining after previous exchanges. Other assessments from early 2026 placed Iran’s ballistic missile inventory at between 1,000 and 1,200 units. U.S. intelligence reports from late March suggested that after more than a month of sustained strikes, only about one-third of Iran’s missile and drone arsenal had been destroyed, with another third damaged or buried in underground tunnels. A separate U.S. intelligence assessment found that roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers remained intact and thousands of one-way attack drones were still available.
Iran has continued launching ballistic missiles and drones across the region, targeting Israel and energy infrastructure in the Gulf. Israeli defense systems intercepted some of the incoming fire, with missiles also landing in open areas. Iran has also added new military systems, including long-range and medium-range missiles and combat drones, according to Iranian state media.
The temporary ceasefire, brokered by Pakistan, requires Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the pause in fighting did not mean an end to war, pending negotiations on a 10-point proposal Iran submitted to the United States. Oil prices dropped about 15 percent after the ceasefire announcement.