February 2, 2005 :: Kommersant :: News
In January of 2004, Iran declared that within the next 18 months it would launch a satellite into orbit using its own rocket systems and doing so from its own territory, becoming the first Islamic state to do so. Recently, however, reports the Russian Kommersant, Iran has signed an agreement with Russia which will permit it to launch two satellites, named Mesbah and Sinah-1, from the Russian Plesetsk launching site. According to the Russian newspaper, Moscow persuaded Iran to do so to avoid a harsh American reaction. Both are said to be spy satellites. The Mesbah satellite is said to orbit at 900km. The Sinah-1 is said to weight some 20 kg. Other sources also refer to cooperation on a Zohreh telecommunications satellite, but Kommersant claims this project may have been a diversion.
Iran would probably have launched the satellites using its own Shahab missile, which it claims is not intended for distances even sufficient to reach Europe. A ballistic missile capable of putting a satellite into orbit, however, is also capable of traveling long distances, indeed, nearly anywhere on earth, notes Kommersant. Kommersant also claims that Italy, China, Mongolia, Pakistan and Thailand were each assisting Iran in preparations for the launch, but that they have since withdrawn such help out of concern for U.S. sanctions. Although Iran was also negotiating with China for such a launch, Russia is said to have stepped in to help Iran complete the project. The launch is reported to take place in the second quarter of 2005, perhaps by May, and will use the Russian Kosmos-3M launcher.
If one gathers nothing else from this and other news of similar proliferation and military ties, it should be that Russia and China both continue to project power into the middle east, and are specifically interested in making Iran a strategic ally. Both countries do so in order to counter American force. Neither country is a friend, or ally, of the United States. Both are rather strategic competitors. Any attempt to confront the Iranian regime, its sponsorship of terrorism, its nuclear and other WMD programs, and its ballistic missile programs, would be strongly opposed by both countries. (Article)
» Geostrategy Direct on Iran-Russia satellite cooperation
» Nov. 29, 2004: Aviation Weekly & Space Technology: Iranian space interests disguise strategic missile ambitions
» Sep. 20, 2004: Iran announces plan to launch satellite
» Middle East Newsline on Iranian-Russian satellite launch plans
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