Iran has said that a satellite will be put into orbit by the new Zuljanah rocket following the completion of launch tests. It is not yet clear where and when the launch took place. This happened on Monday, and the launch was aired on state television. The rocket’s footage fired in the daylight in a desert area.
This move has raised tensions in the West. The United States is worried about such long-range ballistic technology of placing satellites into orbit, saying that such technology is likely to carry nuclear warheads. However, the US accusations are being denied by Tehran.
Place operational satellites
Zuljanah was the name of Hussein’s horse, the Prophet Mohammad’s grandson. Ahmad Hosseini, the defense ministry’s space division spokesman, said that the rocket uses solid fuel in its launch’s first two stages and uses liquid fuel in the third stage. The rocket has the ability to transport a satellite that weighs up to 485 pounds (220kgs) for 310 miles (500km).
Hosseini said that Zuljanah could put operational satellites into orbit after completing its launch tests, which can be launched from mobile launching pads. Iran says that all its satellite programs, such as nuclear programs, are intended to carry out conflict-free applications. However, Western Powers, including the United States, have been suspicious of such programs, citing that they are likely to have military applications for missile development. After two launch failures together with a Launchpad rocket explosion, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps succeeded in launching the country’s first military reconnaissance satellite in April 2020.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister, said that Iran would only reverse its nuclear breaches deal if only US sanctions are withdrawn. The new US administration led by President Joe Biden has said that it must renew compliance with restrictions on its nuclear activity under the world for Tehran to rejoin The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) power’s 2015 deal. In 2018, Iran violated all the accord terms, an action that made former US President Donald Trump inflict sanctions on Tehran.
Zarif said that it would act fast to reverse those breaches if the United States do away with the reimposed sanctions. On Thursday, Antony Blicken, the US Secretary of State, said that they reject Iran’s pressure to act first, saying this will take time. Speaking to a news conference in Washington, DC, Blicken noted that it’s upon Iran to make up its decision to comply. Zarif responded on Twitter that Iran had relented by the JCPOA and it has anticipated curative measures.
