Iran says it successfully launched a satellite in its program criticized by West over missile fears

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran launched a satellite tv for pc into area Saturday with a rocket constructed by the nation’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, state-run media reported, the newest for a program the West fears helps Tehran advance its ballistic missile program.

Iran described the launch as a hit, which might be the second such launch to place a satellite tv for pc into orbit with the rocket. There was no quick impartial affirmation of the launch’s success, nor did Iranian authorities instantly present footage or different particulars.

The launch comes amid heightened tensions gripping the broader Center East over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, throughout which Tehran launched an unprecedented direct missile-and-drone attack on Israel. In the meantime, Iran continues to counterpoint uranium to almost weapons-grade ranges, elevating issues amongst nonproliferation specialists about Tehran’s program.

Iran recognized the satellite-carrying rocket because the Qaem-100, which the Guard used in January for another successful launch. Qaem means “upright” in Iran’s Farsi language. The solid-fuel rocket put the Chamran-1 satellite tv for pc, weighing 60 kilograms (132 kilos), right into a 550-kilometer (340-mile) orbit, state media reported.

The U.S. State Division and the American navy didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark over the Iranian launch.

The US had beforehand stated Iran’s satellite tv for pc launches defy a U.N. Safety Council decision and known as on Tehran to undertake no exercise involving ballistic missiles able to delivering nuclear weapons. U.N. sanctions associated to Iran’s ballistic missile program expired final October.

Beneath Iran’s comparatively reasonable former President Hassan Rouhani, the Islamic Republic slowed its area program for worry of elevating tensions with the West. Onerous-line President Ebrahim Raisi, a protege of Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who got here to energy in 2021, has pushed this system ahead. Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May.

It is unclear what Iran’s new president, the reformist Masoud Pezeshkian, needs for this system as he was silent on the problem whereas campaigning.

The U.S. intelligence group’s worldwide risk evaluation this 12 months stated Iran’s growth of satellite tv for pc launch autos “would shorten the timeline” for Iran to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile as a result of it makes use of related expertise.

Intercontinental ballistic missiles can be utilized to ship nuclear weapons. Iran is now producing uranium near weapons-grade ranges after the collapse of its nuclear take care of world powers. Tehran has sufficient enriched uranium for “a number of” nuclear weapons, if it chooses to supply them, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency repeatedly has warned.

Iran has all the time denied looking for nuclear weapons and says its area program, like its nuclear actions, is for purely civilian functions. Nevertheless, U.S. intelligence businesses and the IAEA say Iran had an organized navy nuclear program up till 2003.

The launch additionally got here forward of the second anniversary of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, which sparked nationwide protests in opposition to Iran’s obligatory headband, or hijab, legislation and the nation’s Shiite theocracy.

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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.