Iran reported that it successfully launched three satellites on January 28. A fact that has generated concern among Western powers, although Iranian authorities defend their aerospace advance as “peaceful” and dismiss nuclear concerns. The event adds to the growing tension in the Middle East fueled by the escalation of the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
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A launch that sets off alarm bells in the West. This Sunday, January 28, Iran successfully sent three satellites into space. A fact that is part of a program that had presented flaws in the past.
“For the first time, three Iranian satellites have been successfully put into orbit,” reported IRNA, the Iranian state agency.
The agency also showed the images of the moment they were launched during the night. According to the Associated Press, the site of the Simorgh rocket launch was the Imam Khomeini spaceport in the rural Iranian province of Semnan.
“The roar of the Simorgh (rocket) echoed in the sky of our country and in infinite space,” said Abbas Rasooli, a reporter for state television.
This is a fact that, once again, sets off alarm bells in Western countries. This at a particularly tense time due to the war in the Gaza Strip. One that has also been aggravated by the threats of a regional conflict with clashes between the Hezbollah group in Lebanon and the Israeli Armed Forces, as well as in the Red Sea with the Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, launching attacks on ships transiting the route.
What are the satellites launched by Iran?
According to IRNA, the launched satellites have the names Mahda, Kayhan-2 and Hatef-1. In addition, he gave details of each of them. The Mahda weighs about 32 kilograms and was developed by the Iranian Space Agency. The agency assures that it is a research satellite.
The other two, Kayhan-2 and Hatef-1, are nanosatellites: they weigh less than 10 kilograms each. They are intended—again according to IRNA information—to test spatial positioning technology.
Iran's Information and Communications Technology Minister Isa Zarepour reported that Mahda had already sent signals to Earth.
Previous releases
Last week, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sent the Soraya research satellite into space. A launch that was questioned by European countries such as the United Kingdom, France and Germany.
Read alsoIran successfully launches satellite, raising concerns over missile program
Iran responded to the condemnation issued and classified European criticism as interventionist. The Persian country defended its technological advancement as a legitimate right.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani rejected the European countries' claims, stating that they will not affect Iran's determination to advance science and technology.
Soraya, launched last week, marks a milestone for Iran by being placed into a 750 kilometer orbit.
Despite several failed launches in recent years, Iran has remained determined in developing its space program. An example of this are the failures of the Simorgh, or 'Phoenix' rocket, which have been part of a series of setbacks for the Persian country.
As AP claims, the images showed that the rocket launched on Sunday carried the slogan “We can” in Farsi, probably in reference to previous failures.
The claims of the United States
The United States has criticized the launches and says it defies the UN Security Council resolution on technology development. iranian nuclear. According to US intelligence, these could accelerate its ability to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Under the Hassan Rohani Administration (2013-2021), Iran had shown some restraint in its space program to avoid tensions with the West. However, with the coming to power of Ebrahim Raisi, backed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it has been reactivated.
Iran's increased uranium enrichment and accumulation of nuclear weapons-grade material have further heightened international concerns. However, intelligence agencies have not confirmed an active pursuit of nuclear weapons by Tehran.
With Reuters and AP
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