The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRG) announced on Wednesday that Iran has launched its first military satellite into orbit. It is a new development in the conflict between Iran and the United States over Iran’s nuclear weapons and missile programs.
The US government says it fears that the long-range missile technology used to launch satellites into space could also be used for nuclear weapons. Tehran denies using satellites as a cover to develop better nuclear missiles.
“Iran’s first military satellite, Noor, was launched this morning from Iran’s central desert. The launch was successful and the satellite was orbiting Earth,” Iranian state television reported. Norwegian means ‘light’ in Arabic.
A statement on the Revolutionary Guards website, an influential elite corps under the direct control of Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated that the satellite is located 425 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. Few details were given about the missile used.
According to the US, Iran has violated a UN Security Council resolution urging Tehran not to engage in any ballistic missile activity capable of carrying nuclear warheads, including satellite launches. However, the resolution contains no ban.
Iran says the space program has only peaceful purposes.
Washington and Tehran don’t want war
The US government of President Donald Trump stepped out of the international nuclear deal with Iran in 2018 and imposed strong sanctions on the country to discourage the development of nuclear weapons. What followed were years of mounting tensions and various military incidents between the US and Iran.
Experts say Tehran and Washington are unlikely to push for a direct military conflict.
“This is psychological warfare, intended to convey a message and tell the opponent: we are ready to stop any offensive,” said Hisham Jaber, former general in the Lebanese Army and military analyst, on the satellite launch. “But no one is ready to embrace the consequences of a war, not America, not Iran, no one.”
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