Iran says it conducted successful space launch in programme criticised by West

The Simorgh, or ‘Phoenix’, rocket blasted off from Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in rural Semnan province (Iranian Defence Ministry via AP)

Iran said on Friday it conducted a successful space launch, the latest for its programme the West alleges improves Tehran’s ballistic missile plans.

Iran conducted the launch using its Simorgh programme, a satellite-carrying rocket that had had a series of failed launches, at Iran’s Imam Khomeini Spaceport in rural Semnan province. That is the site of Iran’s civilian space programme.