Iran Successfully Launches Three Satellites, Raising Concerns in the West
Iran made history on Sunday by successfully launching three satellites into space for the first time using a domestically developed launch vehicle. The satellites, propelled into a minimum orbit of 450 kilometers, were launched from the Imam Khomeini Space Center in Semnan province.
According to state media, the three satellites included a larger satellite called Mahda and two nanosatellites named Kayhan-2 and Hatef-1. The nanosatellites are intended to test narrowband communications and geolocation technology, while the larger satellite was built to test the accuracy of the Phoenix rocket in delivering cargo into space.
The development of Iran’s space program has raised concerns in Western powers, particularly in the United States and Europe, who fear that the satellite launch vehicles could be repurposed for Iran’s ballistic missile program. The U.S. intelligence community’s 2023 Global Threat Assessment has warned that the development of satellite launch vehicles brings Iran closer to developing long-range missiles, with concerns that the Phoenix rocket could have dual-purpose capabilities.
Tensions between Iran and the West have been heightened in recent years, particularly since the United States withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018. While Iranian officials have stated that the satellite launches are for peaceful purposes and technological advancement, the U.S. and European countries view them as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.
The launch of the satellites also comes at a time of increased conflict in the Middle East, with Israel’s ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and Iran-linked groups carrying out attacks against U.S. and Israeli interests in solidarity with the Palestinians. These factors have raised concerns of regional conflict and instability.
Despite the concerns of the West, Iran has maintained that its space program serves civilian purposes, and it has the right to pursue technological advancement in the aerospace sector. It will be important to monitor how Iran’s space program develops and the impact it could have on regional and international security.