Iran’s satellite launch sparks fears of covert nuclear programme
The satellite — called Omid, or hope in Farsi — was launched late on Monday after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave the order to proceed, according to a report on state radio. State television showed footage of what it said was the night-time lift-off of the rocket carrying the satellite at an unidentified location in Iran.
A senior US defence official in Washington said the US military detected the launch of a missile into space. But it was not confirmed whether the missile was carrying a satellite, said the official.
In Jerusalem, the head of Israel’s Space Agency, Zvi Kaplan, said initial reports show that a satellite was launched.
“From what I have been investigating it is true,” he said. “We are not surprised because in this day and age of information and technology and with Iranian scientists studying abroad they can obtain the knowledge.”
Iran has long held the goal of developing a space programme, generating unease among world leaders already concerned about its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. One of the worries associated with Iran’s fledgling space programme is that the same technology used to put satellites into space can also be used to deliver warheads.
The United States and some of its allies suspect Iran is pursuing a covert nuclear programme. Iran denies the charge, saying its atomic work is only for peaceful purposes such as power generation.
“This test underlines and illustrates our serious concerns about Iran’s intentions,” Britain’s Middle East minister Bill Rammell said in a statement.
The announcement of Omid’s launch comes during festivities marking the 30th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled the US-backed shah and brought hard-line clerics to power. State TV said the satellite was launched “for the great celebration of the Iranian nation and the 30th anniversary of the victory of the revolution”.
Ahmadinejad said yesterday that the satellite, which he said had telecommunications capabilities, had reached its orbit and had made contact with ground stations, though not all of its functions were active yet. The launch was intended to be a message of peace and friendship to the world, Ahmadinejad told state television. “We need science for friendship, brotherhood and justice,” he said.
The announcement of Omid’s launch also came as officials from the US, Russia, Britain, France, Germany and China were set to meet today near Frankfurt to talk about Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iranian television said the satellite would orbit at an altitude of between about 249km and 402km..
Iran has said it wants to put its own satellites into orbit to monitor natural disasters in the earthquake-prone nation and improve its telecommunications.
Iran hopes to launch three more satellites by 2010, the government has said.
