Ammunition Industries Group

Ammunition Industries Group (AMIG), also known as the Ammunition and Metallurgy Industries Group, is Iran's principal state-run munitions manufacturer. It operates under the Iranian Defense Industries Organization (DIO) of the Ministry of Defense. EU sources describe AMIG as "the largest industrial group of the Defense Industries Organization (DIO)". According to U.S. Treasury reporting, AMIG is owned by the DIO, which in turn answers to Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics. In international accounts AMIG is thus viewed as a key part of Iran's military-industrial complex. The group (and its affiliates) has been the target of sanctions for over a decade: it was listed by the UN Security Council (Res. 1747, March 2007) for its role in proliferation, and later by the EU (October 2023) and the U.S. Treasury (as an SDN) on non-proliferation and Iran sanctions grounds.

Organization and ownership

AMIG is fully government-owned. It is directly subordinate to Iran's DIO (Sazman-e Sanaye Defa), the umbrella agency for military manufacturing under the Defense Ministry. U.S. sanctions documents explicitly name the "Ammunition and Metallurgy Industries Group (AMIG)" as a blocked entity, noting its aliases (e.g. "Ammunition Industries Group") ( Sanctions List Search ) ( Sanctions List Search ). Within Iran, AMIG controls multiple factories and complexes specializing in ordnance and metallurgy. Notable AMIG affiliates include:

• Khorasan Metallurgy Industries (Mashhad), Formerly called 7th of Tir or Samen Industries: this plant is explicitly identified as an AMIG sub-unit.) A DIO/AMIG subsidiary that "is responsible for the production of ammunition and centrifuge components as well as cutting tools and products such as drills, milling cutters, taps, reamers and compound tools".
• Shahid Sayyade Shirazi Industries (Tehran): a missile-production complex owned by a former IRGC general. It is "part of [AMIG], which has played a key role in manufacturing and developing weaponry" and is "directly involved in missile development".
• Yazd Metallurgy Industries (Yazd): a DIO/AMIG subsidiary that produces high-strength steel and precision parts. EU reports note it "is affiliated with the DIO and is a subsidiary of AMIG in Iran" and is involved in manufacturing IR-1 centrifuge components and other goods usable in nuclear/missile programs.

These and other factories (e.g. bullet-making plants, propellant and mine complexes) form AMIG's internal network. Collectively they supply Iran's armed forces (both regular military and Revolutionary Guard) with munitions and related materials.

Products and capabilities

AMIG's product range is broad. EU sanction documents list AMIG's portfolio as including "ammunition, mortar bombs, pyrotechnics, anti-tank and sea mines, hand grenades, detonators, brass materials, cutting tools, industrial valves, [and] perforating …" among other items. In practice, this means AMIG produces most of Iran's conventional ordnance: small-arms ammunition (bullets, cartridges), artillery shells and mortar rounds, demolition charges, grenades and land/sea mines. It also manufactures many explosive components (fuzes, detonators) and explosives/propellants. For example, Khorasan Metallurgy Industries (AMIG's Mashhad facility) makes a full range of shells and warheads and the steel tools (drills, reamers, etc.) needed to fabricate them.

In addition to conventional munitions, AMIG units produce specialized metal products. The Yazd Metallurgy plant fabricates precision components for Iran's nuclear and missile programs (e.g. centrifuge parts). Khorasan's tooling products likewise can be dual-use (applicable in both civilian and military industry). In summary, AMIG's factories supply ammunition and explosives (artillery, mortar, small-arms and mine warfare) as well as key engineering materials (steel alloys, cutting tools, precision valve parts) for Iran's defense sector.

Facilities

Facility Name	Location	Primary Activities
Isfahan Ammunition Factory	Isfahan	Manufactures anti-aircraft ammunition.
7th of Tir Industrial Complex	Near Isfahan	Involved in manufacturing rockets, missiles, and centrifuge components.
Shahid Shiroudi Industries	Tehran	Produces small arms and brass parts.
Yazd Metallurgy Industries	Yazd	Specializes in metallurgy for defense applications.
Khorasan Metallurgy Industries	Mashhad	Engaged in metallurgy and production of centrifuge components.
Shahid Sayyad Shirazi Industries	Tehran	Focuses on missile development and production.
Shahid Sattari Industries	Tehran	Involved in manufacturing and maintenance of ground support equipment.
Parchin Ammunition Industries	Parchin	Produces various types of ammunition and explosives.

Role in Iran's defense and strategic programs

By its nature, AMIG is integrated into Iran's military supply chain. Its munitions feed Iran's army, naval, and IRGC ground forces. International observers also report links between AMIG and Iran's strategic (nuclear/missile) efforts. U.S. Treasury and UN sources have identified AMIG facilities as recipients of maraging steel and other sensitive materials used in uranium enrichment and missile production. For instance, Khorasan Metallurgy (AMIG) and its affiliates were noted as "end-users of maraging steel shipments provided by" illicit procurement networks, material critical for advanced centrifuge rotors and missile parts. Likewise, Yazd Metallurgy (AMIG) is reported to make IR-1 centrifuge components and other items "used for either the production of nuclear weapons or vehicles for the delivery of such weapons".

AMIG's Shahid Shirazi Industries plant explicitly produces missile warheads. EU sanctions text emphasizes that this unit "has played a key role in manufacturing and developing weaponry" and is "directly involved in missile development". In practical terms, AMIG's output bolsters Iran's missile forces and potentially the armaments of allied militias. By supplying ammunition and bomb-making capabilities, AMIG helps sustain Iran's regional military activities (e.g. support to proxies) even if direct evidence of arms exports from AMIG facilities is limited in open sources.

Sanctions and international measures

AMIG is heavily sanctioned by Western and international bodies. In the UN Security Council's March 2007 sanctions list (Res. 1747), AMIG was designated as an entity contributing to Iran's WMD/missile programs. The EU formally listed "Ammunition and Metallurgy Industries Group" in its restrictive measures on October 17, 2023. The U.S. Department of the Treasury includes AMIG on its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list under the Non-Proliferation (NPWMD) and Iran Financial Sanctions (IFSR) programs. These listings authorize asset freezes and prohibit transactions by U.S. persons (and often by allied countries) with AMIG or its subsidiaries. The Treasury's SDN entry explicitly notes that AMIG is "subject to secondary sanctions." Switzerland and other jurisdictions have mirrored EU/UN sanctions on AMIG and its sub-units. In practice, these measures cut off AMIG from legitimate international trade and financial systems.

Notable developments and controversies

Recent reporting underscores AMIG's role in proliferation networks. In April 2025, the U.S. sanctioned a smuggling ring tied to Iran's nuclear program that included AMIG affiliates (e.g. Khorasan Metallurgy) as end-users of illicit imports. EU investigative documents have highlighted that AMIG units acquired restricted materials: for example, Shahid Shirazi Industries was caught trying to procure high-performance metals from China "used in high-tech weaponry, including long-range nuclear missiles" .

No public records indicate any legitimate foreign joint ventures with AMIG; its operations are tightly controlled by Iran's military establishment. Domestically, the group occasionally appears at state defense expos or in news about military production (for instance, Iranian press will tout new artillery shells or grenade designs from "Sanaye Mohammatsazi"). However, outside Iran AMIG is primarily known through sanction lists and analysts' reports. In summary, AMIG remains a critical but opaque element of Iran's defense industry – vital for conventional munitions production and deeply entwined with Iran's missile and nuclear programs.

Incidents

On 04/29/2025 an explosion occurred at the Avanar Parsian Chemical Industries warehouse in Meymeh, Isfahan Province, resulting in one fatality and injuries to two individuals. The facility, involved in manufacturing fireworks and gunpowder, operates under the supervision of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

On January 28–29, 2023 the ammunition factory in Isfahan, affiliated with Iran's Defense Ministry, was targeted by a drone attack. Iranian officials reported that three drones were involved, with two being shot down and one causing minor damage to the facility's roof. No casualties were reported.

On November 12, 2011, a significant explosion at an ammunition depot near Bidganeh, approximately 40 km southwest of Tehran, resulted in the deaths of 17 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including Brigadier General Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, a key figure in Iran's missile program.