TEHERAN - Iran successfully launched two domestically produced satellites aboard a Russian Soyuz-2.1b rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in eastern Russia early Tuesday, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
The satellites, named Kowsar and Hodhod, were developed by Iran's private sector, Tasnim reported. Kowsar, a 30-kg remote-sensing satellite, is equipped to capture high-resolution images intended for agricultural planning, natural resource management, environmental monitoring, and crisis management. It is expected to remain operational for about 3.5 years, orbiting at 500 km above Earth, with a primary focus on agricultural and land use applications.
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The smaller Hodhod satellite is designed for communications, supporting the development of communication networks and the Internet of Things. It will provide connectivity to remote areas lacking access to traditional networks and is also positioned at a 500-km orbit.
Alongside Iran's satellites, the Soyuz-2.1b launched two heliophysics satellites and 53 smaller satellites into orbit, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Tuesday's launch marks Iran's latest space endeavor, following the February deployment of the Pars-1 satellite, also launched aboard a Soyuz rocket from Russia. In August 2022, Iran launched its Khayyam satellite from Kazakhstan's Baikonur spaceport, also using a Russian Soyuz carrier.
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Also on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi urged the European Union (EU) to lift the sanctions on Iranian airlines over the allegation that Teheran has transferred missiles to Russia.
He made the remarks on social media platform X in response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's comments on Monday saying Iran had not yet delivered missiles to Russia.
"The EU recently targeted ordinary Iranians and other travelers by banning our airlines from Europe," Araghchi said, adding, "It did so on the basis of the false claim that Iran has delivered ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine."
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"Now, even President Zelensky himself has explicitly stated that no Iranian missiles have been delivered to Russia," he said.
Araghchi stressed that it is high time for the EU to "end this farce," noting that the targeting of ordinary Iranians based on "thin air" is "immoral and plain wrong" and must immediately be reversed.
In October, the EU adopted restrictive measures against seven Iranian individuals and seven entities, including three Iranian airlines, over Teheran's alleged transfer of missiles and drones to Russia against Ukraine.
The United States and Britain imposed sanctions on Iran based on the same allegation back in September.
Iran has consistently denied providing Russia with weapons for use against Ukraine, despite Western accusations. The country maintains it supports a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine conflict.