Iran Says It Has Launched a Rocket into Space with Research Devices

Iran claims that it has launched a rocket into space on Thursday with three research devices in it. The national TV reports that the country launched a satellite carrier rocket bearing three research devices attached.

However, it is unclear whether any objects entered the earth’s orbit.

Neither the state TV nor any semiofficial news agencies that reported this news said when this operation was carried out. In addition to that, no information is available on what devices were attached to the satellite carrier.

This development has international significance as the report came amid the U.S. – Iran indirect talks going on in Austria to try to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal.

This new ‘achievement’ is so crucial for Iran. The country has suffered several setbacks in space missions in the last couple of years because of technical errors.

Iran’s Defense Ministry spokesperson, Ahmed Hosseini, said that this mission is just an “initial” operation suggesting more is on the way. He also identified the rocket as ‘Simorgh’ (Phoenix).

News agencies reported Hosseini was saying, “Performance of the space centre and the performance of the satellite carrier were done properly”.

Nonetheless, neither the Iranian state media nor the spokesperson said anything about the current status of the reported three devices in the earth’s orbit. However, the television aired footage of a white rocket emblazoned with “Simorgh satellite carrier”. It also displays the words “We can”.

Earlier in 2019, the United States had imposed sanctions on Iran’s civilian space agency and two research organizations. The U.S. claimed that these agencies were being used to advance Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Different news agencies also reported that Washington refused to comment on this development.