Iran launched a dummy satellite into space prompting fears that the same technology used for the launch could easily be used to deliver nuclear or chemical warheads:
Iran said it had sent a rocket carrying a dummy satellite into space on Sunday, triggering fresh concern in Washington that the technology could be diverted to ballistic missiles.
The launch is likely to further exacerbate tensions with the West over its nuclear drive, which Iran’s arch-foe Washington and its allies claim is a cover for atomic weapons ambitions.
“The Safir (Ambassador) rocket was successfully launched. All its systems…are Iranian-made,” Reza Taghipour, head of Iran’s space agency, told state television, adding that a “test satellite was put into orbit.”
“We have paved the way for placing a satellite in space in future,” state television said, showing images of the pre-dawn rocket launch which was attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Western governments, already concerned over Iran’s nuclear activities, have warned that the technology used in the Islamic republic’s space programme could be diverted to military use, claims denied by Tehran.
“The Iranian development and testing of rockets is troubling and raises further questions about their intentions,” White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
“This action and dual use possibilities for their ballistic missile program are inconsistent with their UN Security Council obligations.”
A top Iranian official told AFP that state media reports that the country’s first domestically-built satellite, called Omid or Hope, had been launched were not correct.
A defence ministry statement carried by the official news agency IRNA had said the rocket, “built by Iranian experts” was launched with Omid. But the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the media was mistaken.
Iran’s Arabic-language state television broadcast footage of the rocket heading into space and graphics showing a satellite separating from a rocket.
Iranian waffling on the issue just works to cause more concern, but despite the unnamed official’s denial the Mullahs have announced the launch using their various mouthpieces. Clearly they want the public at large to know they have ballistic missile capability. G.S.G.F. points us to the article from the Pro-Islamist Communist sympathizing cyber tabloid PressTV:
Iran successfully launches its first homemade satellite carrier, Safir 1, opening a new chapter in the country’s scientific achievements.
The launch of the new rocket from Iranian soil will pave the way for the country to send a lightweight telecommunications satellite, Omid (meaning ‘hope’ in Persian), into orbit in the near future.
The domestically manufactured Omid satellite will pass over the country six times a day for research purposes.
The launch of Safir 1 was aimed at improving the country’s space industries. Safir 1 tested remote sensing, Satellite telemetry, and geographic information system (GIS) technology as well as remote and ground station data processing.
Fars News Agency is also carrying reports of the launch, as well as a report on how the technology will improve the lives of the Iranian people.
Iranian ballistic missile technology won’t improve our lives though, China Confidential is reporting that Iran will be enriching uranium by 2009 and that its ally Syria has a huge stockpile of chemical weapons. Both countries continue to arm Hezbollah and as of now there is no area of Israel outside of the reach of Iranian proxy armies.
Ballistic missiles capable of achieving orbit could clearly cause havoc well outside of Israel. If that doesn’t scare you just think about this: The launch coincided with the birthday of Shiite end time messiah The Mahdi. I guess they’re paving the way for his glorious return.