Iran successfully launched a satellite into space on Saturday using a rocket developed by the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, according to state-run media. This launch is part of a broader program that has raised concerns in the West, as it is feared to contribute to Tehran’s advancement in ballistic missile technology.
Iran has described the launch as a success, marking the second time a satellite has been placed into orbit using the same type of rocket. However, there has been no independent confirmation of the launch’s success, and Iranian authorities have not yet released footage or further details.
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The launch coincides with heightened tensions in West Asia, particularly with the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, during which Iran carried out an unprecedented missile and drone attack on Israel. Additionally, Iran continues to enrich uranium to near weapons-grade levels, which has raised alarms among nonproliferation experts about the country’s nuclear ambitions.
The rocket used for this mission, identified as the Qaem-100, had previously been employed in a successful launch earlier this year. “Qaem” means upright in Farsi, and according to state media, the solid-fuel rocket placed the 60-kilogram Chamran-1 satellite into a 550-kilometer orbit.
The U.S. State Department and American military have yet to comment on the launch. In the past, the United States has criticized Iran’s satellite launches, arguing that they violate a United Nations Security Council resolution and urging Tehran to refrain from activities related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. UN sanctions tied to Iran’s ballistic missile program expired in October of last year.
