Iran launches satellite, places it in 750 km orbit: Official news agency

Iran on Saturday (January 20) successfully launched a satellite, said official news agency IRNA citing a minister. The launch is being described as a milestone for the country's aerospace programme. The West has often criticised the Iranian space programme.

The United States, in particular, has been vocal in its criticism of the space programme saying that Iran may use the same technology for ballistic missiles which could possibly carry nuclear warheads. Iran denies this saying that it has no ambition of developing nuclear weapons capability and that its rocket launches are only for civil or defence purposes.

"The Soraya satellite of the Iranian Space Organisation... was successfully launched with the Qaem 100 satellite carrier of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," the official IRNA news agency said.

"This is the first time that Iran has successfully placed a satellite in orbits higher than 500 kilometres (310 miles)," IRNA said.

IRNA quoted Iran's Telecommunications Minister Issa Zarepour who said that the satellite weighing 50 kilogrammes was placed in an orbit 750 kilometres above Earth.

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Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards has developed the Qaem 100 rocket. It is a three-stage solid-fuel satellite launcher which is first of its kind for Iran.

Iran hasn't always tasted success in its satellite launches and there have been several failed attempts in past. In April 2020, it was successful in launching Nour-1, the country's first military satellite.

The United States and Iran warmed up to each other after the landmark nuclear deal struck during the tenure of former US president Barack Obama. But his successor former US president Donald Trump unilaterally pulled US out of the deal and re-imposed crippling sanctions on Iran and its economy. After US Presidents Joe Biden took office, efforts began to revive the deal but the talks have not yielded much so far.

(With inputs from agencies)