Iran’s satellite program ‘entirely peaceful,’ FM says
Three domestically built satellites to be launched into orbit today
Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran’s satellite program is strictly civilian and scientific, as the country prepares to launch three domestically built satellites into orbit this weekend.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Abbas Araghchi said Iran has made notable progress across several scientific fields.
“Iran's activities in the areas of nuclear science, defense industries, nanotechnology, and satellites are entirely peaceful and intended for peaceful purposes,” he said.
Araghchi added that Iran is steadily advancing its satellite capabilities, saying the country is taking “successful” steps to develop space technology.
He stressed that Iran, like other countries, has a legitimate right to pursue satellite programs for non-military purposes, noting that the satellites are “solely for scientific objectives.”
His remarks come ahead of a planned launch of three Iranian satellites—Tolou-3 (also known as Paya), Zafar-2, and Kowsar-1.5—scheduled for Sunday.
The satellites are to be launched at 1318 GMT aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East.
The CEO and founder of Omid Space Company, the manufacturer of the "Kowsar-1.5", announced that Iran’s position has been elevated to that of a collaborator with renowned countries in the space industry. “Our country seeks international interaction in this industry through agreements such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization”, Hassan Shahrabi Farahani said.