Iran said Thursday it launched a rocket carrying three space research devices into space. The United States say they are “concerned” by this advance likely, according to them, to benefit Tehran’s ballistic program while the nuclear talks are underway.
“The Simorgh satellite launcher sent three research devices into space,” said Ahmad Hosseini, spokesperson for the Iranian Defense Ministry’s space unit, quoted by state television.
The latter briefly showed images of a rocket firing from a desert location, praising “another accomplishment of Iranian scientists.”
“The research objectives planned for this launch have been achieved,” Hosseini said without giving further details. “This was a preliminary launch, and we will have operational launches in the near future,” he promised.
Local media did not say where Thursday’s launch took place. US media, citing experts and satellite images, said earlier in December that the Islamic Republic was preparing to launch a rocket from the Semnan space center, some 300 km east of Tehran.
Washington, for its part, expressed its concerns after this announcement. Westerners suspect Iran of seeking to develop, using the technology of its satellite launchers, long-range ballistic launchers capable of carrying conventional or nuclear charges.
“The United States remains concerned about the Iranian development of space launchers, which poses a risk of proliferation,” said a spokeswoman for the State Department, who however reiterated that Washington “wishes a mutual return to full respect for the 2015 agreement to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Thursday’s announcement indeed comes in the midst of talks to save the Vienna Accord, talks that were relaunched at the end of November after a five-month hiatus between Tehran and the countries still party to the pact (France, United Kingdom, Germany). , Russia, China).
The negotiations aim to bring the United States, which left it in 2018 and reinstated sanctions against Iran, back to the deal. The United States is participating in the negotiations indirectly.
The agreement, validated by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, enjoins Tehran “not to carry out any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to carry nuclear charges, including fire using ballistic missile technology” .
In February 2020, Iran failed to put a scientific observation satellite into orbit. Its launch was condemned by Paris and Washington, who accused Tehran of wanting to strengthen its skills in the field of ballistic missiles through the launch of satellites.
Two months later, in April 2020, the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic, launched their first military satellite. The United States then considered that this launch proved that the Iranian space program was intended for military rather than commercial purposes.
Affirming that it has no intention of acquiring atomic weapons, Tehran assures that its ballistics and space programs do not run counter to resolution 2231.