Iran announced on Sunday that it had sent three satellites into orbit for the first time simultaneously, a new step in the development of the country's aerospace activities despite Western sanctions.
“For the first time, three Iranian satellites were successfully sent into space with the Simorgh launcher built by the Defense Ministry
,” state television reported.
Placed in orbit 450 km above the Earth's surface, the Mahda satellites, weighing 32 kg, and Kayhan 2 and Hatef, which weigh less than 10 kg, are intended to "
test subsystems satellites”
and research and telecommunications missions.
Their launch came a week after that of a research satellite, Soraya, developed by the Iranian Space Organization and transported by a Revolutionary Guard rocket, Ghaem-100.
“Interventionist” act
Soraya was placed in orbit 750 kilometers above Earth, which represented
"the first time"
that Iran has sent a satellite
"beyond 500 kilometers"
, according to the official Irna news agency.
This launch was criticized by Germany, France and the United Kingdom in a joint statement, denounced by Tehran as being an
“interventionist”
act .
Iran says its aerospace activities are peaceful and in accordance with a UN Security Council resolution.
But Western governments fear that its satellite launch systems will incorporate technologies interchangeable with those used in ballistic missiles capable of delivering a nuclear warhead.
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The Islamic Republic of Iran has been subject to crippling US sanctions since Washington withdrew in 2018 from an international agreement that was supposed to limit Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for a lifting of international sanctions.