A Russian Soyuz-2.1bn rocket launched the Iranian Khayam observation satellite into space on Tuesday, August 9. reported Roscosmos, the Russian space agency.
This is the beginning of a strategic cooperation between Iran and Russia in the field of space
The launch was made at 05:52 GMT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome (Kazakhstan).
“This is the beginning of strategic cooperation between Iran and Russia in the field of space,” Communications Minister Isa Zarepour told Iranian media.
The politician recalled that the two countries have collaborated before in space, with the launch of a satellite in 2005, but hailed the exercise as a new “beginning”.
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Khayam, named after an Iranian poet of the 11th century, weighing 600 kilos and located in an orbit of 500 kilometers from the Earth, it is a measurement satellite, with a precision to take images of approximately one meter and it has environmental and agricultural purposesaccording to Iranian authorities.
“This satellite is a very big step for the provision of space data in the country, and we can use its high-precision images to improve space applications in the fields of environment and agriculture,” Zarepour said.
Nevertheless, Accusations have surfaced that Russia could use the satellite for its own ends in the Ukrainian wara, an extreme denied by Tehran.
According to the American newspaper ‘The Washington Post’, the Iranian satellite will be able to detect military targets in the Middle East, but in a first stage it would be used by Russia to support its military campaign in Ukraine.
“No country will be able to use the information (from the satellite) thanks to the encryption,” the Iranian space agency said in a statement, which assured that they will have control of the device from “day one.”
(Also read: Russia suspends inspection of military sites established in treaty with the US).
Cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation in the field of some modern technologies dates back to before the war in Ukraine
The satellite launch comes three weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Tehran.where he met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisí and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In recent weeks, Iran has defended its technological collaboration with Russia after the United States claimed that Tehran will sell hundreds of drones to Moscow for the Ukraine war.
“Cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation in the field of some modern technologies dates back to before the war in Ukraine,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Naser Kanani said at the time.
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