Space fail: Iran couldn’t put satellite called ‘Victory’ into orbit
- Iranian state TV reported that the ‘Phoenix’ rocket could not put the Zafar 1 communications satellite into orbit due to ‘ low speed’
- The launch had been planned amid celebrations ahead of the February anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution
Iran said it “successfully” launched a satellite but failed to put it into orbit, in a blow to its space programme that the US alleges is a cover for missile development.
The attempted launch of the Zafar - “Victory” in Farsi - comes days before the 41st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and crucial parliamentary elections in Iran.
Arch foes Iran and the United States have appeared to be on the brink of an all-out confrontation twice in the past seven months.
Long-standing acrimony between Tehran and Washington was exacerbated in 2018 when US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from a deal that froze Iran’s nuclear programme, before issuing new demands that Tehran curtail its development of ballistic missiles.
Washington has also raised concerns in the past about Tehran’s satellite programme, saying the launch of a carrier rocket in January 2019 amounted to a violation of limits on its ballistic missiles.
Iran maintains it has no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons, and says its aerospace activities are peaceful and comply with a UN Security Council resolution.