The rather diminutive leader of Iraq, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, stated, "Dear Iranians, your children have put the first indigenous satellite into orbit. With this launch, the Islamic Republic of Iran has officially achieved a presence in space." He added the satellite carries a message of "peace and brotherhood" to the world and he dismissed suggestions that Iran's space program is actually driving a number of military goals. "We have a divine view of technology, unlike the dominating powers of the world who have Satanic views," he said. Mixing his verbiage in with Ahmadinejad was Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who stated the satellite would enable Tehran to receive "environmental data," adding that "the technological capacity of Iran is meant to meet the needs of the country."
Named Omid (Hope), the satellite was delivered into orbit via the country's Safir-2 rocket, according to Iranian local news agencies reported. France was the first to comment on the launch and expressed concern because, officials said, the technology used by Iran was "very similar" to that employed in ballistic missiles. "We can't but link this to the very serious concerns about the development of military nuclear capacity," French foreign ministry spokesman Eric Chevallier stated in Paris.
The launch comes at at time when Iran is defiantly refusing UN Security Council demands to freeze sensitive nuclear work. Many in the West suspect Iran of secretly attempting to construct an atomic bomb and believe the technology that was used to launch the Safir-2 could be diverted into development of long-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Iran, naturally, vehemently denies the charges. Iran's official position is their nuclear program is only for peaceful energy purposes. Iran claims they the right to such technology.
Ahmadinejad has dictated scientific development as one of the main themes of his presidency. He asserts Iran has reached a peak of progress in spite of international sanctions and the country no longer needs help from foreign states. IRNA, the state's news organization, indicated the satellite would take orbital measurements and would circle the Earth 15 times every 24 hours with an elliptical orbit of minimum of 250 kilometres (156 miles) and maximum 400 kilometres. This launch comes on the eve of a meeting in Germany on Wednesday by senior diplomats from six world powers who are are due to discuss the Iranian nuclear standoff, with Tehran still defying calls for a freeze on uranium enrichment.
Iran's most powerful military missile, the Shahab-3, has a diameter of 1.30 metres and measures 17 metres in length with a range of 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) — this places archfoe Israel and U.S. forces in the region within reach. Last year, Iran triggered concern in the West when it said it had sent a probe into space on the back of a rocket to prepare for a satellite launch, and announced the opening of its space station in a remote western desert. Iran has pursued a space program for several years, and in October of 2005, a Russian-made Iranian satellite named Sina-1 was placed into orbit by a Russian rocket. Reza Taghipour, head of the Iranian space agency, said Iran would launch another satellite carrier by the end of the Iranian year on March 20th. (Sources: AFP, UPI, IRNA, Farhad Pouladi — Photo, ISNA, Vahidreza Alaee)