AFP,
Tehran
A Russian rocket put an Iranian communications satellite into space yesterday, Iranian state media reported, the latest achievement for an aerospace programme that has long concerned Western governments.
“The Nahid-2 communications satellite was launched from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome using a Soyuz rocket,” state television said.
Weighing 110 kilograms (over 240 pounds), the satellite was designed and manufactured by Iranian engineers, the broadcaster added.
Western governments have long expressed concern that technological advances made in Iran’s space programme can also be used to upgrade its ballistic missile arsenal.
The launch was announced shortly before nuclear talks between Iran and Britain, France and Germany opened in Istanbul.
In December, Iran announced it had put its heaviest payload to date into space, using a domestically manufactured satellite carrier.
In September, Iran said it had put the Chamran-1 research satellite into orbit using the Ghaem-100 carrier, which is produced by the Revolutionary Guards’ aerospace division.
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Nations General Assembly next September.”
Earlier, Canada also pressed Israel to seek peace, with Prime Minister Mark Carney condemning its “failure to prevent the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Gaza” and reiterating support for a two-state solution.
Thanking France, the Palestinian Authority’s Vice President Hussein Al Sheikh said on X that Macron’s decision reflected “France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state.”
The news sparked anger in Israel and Washington.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the decision. In a post on X, he added, “A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it.”