Article Author:
Reuters
MOSCOW — A Russian rocket carrying an Iranian satellite successfully launched into space on Tuesday.Moscow and Tehran seek closer ties in the face of Western sanctions.
17} The remote sensing satellite, called "Khayyam," was launched by a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the home of Russia's space launches in southern Kazakhstan. According to a video broadcast on YouTube by Russia's Roscosmos Space Agency on Tuesday.Tehran said Russia could use the satellite to boost its intelligence capabilities in Ukraine. He said Iran could fully control and manipulate it "from day one".
The Washington Post reported last week that U.S. officials were concerned about fledgling space cooperation between Russia and Iran, arguing that satellites would not only help Russia in Ukraine, but could also be a potential military force. It fears providing Iran with an "unprecedented capability" to monitor its targets. in Israel and the wider Middle East.
Iran says the satellite is designed for scientific research, including radiation and environmental monitoring for agricultural purposes.
Russia has sought to deepen its ties with Iran since his February 24th, when the Kremlin sent tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine.
In July, President Vladimir Putin visited Iran on his first overseas trip outside the former Soviet Union since the start of Russian military operations in Ukraine.
While there, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Putin that Tehran and Moscow needed to remain vigilant against "Western deception". Reporting; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
