A Russian rocket carrying an Iranian satellite was successfully launched into space on Tuesday as Moscow and Tehran seek closer ties in defiance of Western sanctions, Reuters reported.
The remote sensing satellite, named Khayyam, was launched by a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a Russian space launch site located in southern Kazakhstan, at 08:52 a.m. Moscow time on Tuesday, according to a video released by the Russian Space Agency. Roscosmos on Youtube.
Tehran rejected claims that the satellite could be used by Moscow to boost its intelligence capabilities in Ukraine, saying Iran would have full control and operate it “from day one.”
Last week, The Washington Post reported that U.S. officials were concerned about the nascent space cooperation between Russia and Iran, fearing that the satellite would not only help Russia in Ukraine, but also give Iran “unprecedented capabilities” to monitor potential military targets in Israel and the Middle East. East in general.
Iran says the satellite is for scientific research, including radiation and environmental monitoring for agricultural purposes.
Putin wants to have close relations with Iran
Russia has been seeking to deepen ties with Iran since February 24, when the Kremlin ordered the deployment of tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine.
In July, President Vladimir Putin visited Iran in his first international trip outside the former Soviet Union since the invasion of Ukraine.
While there, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Putin that Tehran and Moscow must be vigilant against “deception by the West.”
Space is always in the center of attention of the USA and Russia
Space has been an area where the United States and Russia have traditionally maintained strong cooperation and ties, despite geopolitical tensions between Moscow and Washington.
Roscosmos and NASA recently reached an agreement to deliver each other’s astronauts to the International Space Station, but Moscow has raised questions about abandoning the ISS in the future.
Putin recently removed Dmytro Rogozin as head of Roscosmos, replacing him with a former defense adviser as part of the agency’s reorganization.
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Source: Hot News RU
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