TEHRAN: Iran’s president said Thursday the Islamic Republic soon will send two new satellites into orbit using Iran-made rockets, despite US concern the launch could help further develop its ballistic missiles.
President Hassan Rouhani’s comments, during a commemoration for the late President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, confirmed the rocket launches would take place.
Iran typically displays achievements in its space program in February, during the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. This year will mark the 40th anniversary of the revolution, which saw the Persian monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi replaced by the Islamic Republic overseen by a Shiite cleric.
“Soon, in the coming weeks, we will send two satellites into space using our domestically-made rockets,” Rouhani said, without elaborating.
Previously, Iran has sent several short-lived satellites into orbit over the past decade, and in 2013 launched a monkey into space. The US and its allies worry the same satellite-launching technology could be used to develop long-range missiles.
Last week Iran said country’s three new satellites have successfully passed pre-launch tests.
Earlier in January, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Iran’s plans for sending satellites into orbit demonstrate the country’s defiance of a UN Security Council resolution that calls on Iran to undertake no activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.
Iran insists the launches do not violate the resolution.
Meanwhile Thursday, Iran began an annual air drill in central parts of the country.
The state-run IRNA news agency said dozens of fighter jets, bombers and transportation planes are taking part in the 2-day maneuver. It said beside US-made F-14, F-5 and F-4 fighter jets of the shah’s era, the Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jet as well as the Iranian -made Saegheh fighter will participate in the annual war game.
Drones, laser-guided rockets and heavy smart bombs also will be used, said Gen. Amir Angizeh, the maneuver’s spokesman.
Pompeo is currently touring the Mideast to promote the White House’s tough stance on Iran and to assure America’s Arab allies that the Trump administration is not walking away from the region.
On Wednesday, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called Washington officials “first-class idiots” in unusually harsh remarks that reflect the broader tension between Iran and the US after President Donald Trump withdrew America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.
Iran says it will send 2 satellites to orbit amid US concern
Iran says it will send 2 satellites to orbit amid US concern
- Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday the launch will happen "soon, in the coming weeks"
- The US and its allies worry the same satellite-launching technology could be used to develop long-range missiles
’Not much is standing’ in Gaza, says UN official
- “We can’t wait, we can’t procrastinate,” da Silva said, adding that Gazans across the territory were living in an “inhumane situation“
- He said the launch of phase two of the Gaza truce plan marked a “historical” moment
JERUSALEM: A top United Nations official on Thursday called for accelerating reconstruction work in Gaza, saying Palestinians there were living in “inhumane” conditions, even as a US-backed truce entered its second phase.
“I wouldn’t have imagined what I saw today, which is total destruction, not much is standing,” Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) told journalists after a visit to the Gaza Strip.
“We can’t wait, we can’t procrastinate,” he said, adding that Gazans across the territory were living in an “inhumane situation.”
The two-year war between Hamas and Israeli forces has left Gaza facing destruction on a scale unseen in previous conflicts, with vast swathes reduced to rubble.
Entire residential neighborhoods, hospitals, schools and basic infrastructure have been heavily damaged or destroyed, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to live in makeshift shelters.
Da Silva said the launch of phase two of the Gaza truce plan marked a “historical” moment that should be seized to kick-start reconstruction efforts.
“This opens the opportunities for reconstruction, knowing that we will need $52 billion, according to the assessment conducted by the World Bank, UN and the European Commission, for the reconstruction of Gaza,” he said.
“But the point is we can’t wait for the big reconstruction, which requires billions, to immediately launch the early recovery that requires millions.”
On Wednesday, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff announced the start of phase two of the Gaza ceasefire, saying it aimed to pave the way for reconstruction and the demilitarization of all armed factions in the territory.
The war was triggered by the Palestinian Islamist group’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The ensuing Israeli offensive has devastated Gaza, home to about 2.2 million people, a territory that was already suffering severely from previous rounds of fighting and from an Israeli blockade imposed since 2007.
Da Silva said the war had left about 60 million tons of rubble scattered across the strip.
“Gaza is flooded by rubble and debris,” he said.
“The problem is not just the volume of rubble, it’s also the fact that its content is quite a matter of concern, with unexploded ordnance in the rubble, dangerous waste, and unfortunately also human remains.”
The environmental and urban planning specialist said one of the most urgent priorities was ensuring reliable access to fuel — a critical resource in Gaza, where most electricity is generated by fuel-powered generators.
He also cited the need for demining, rebuilding water supply networks, lifting restrictions on the entry of aid, and allowing in spare parts required for repairs — long-standing demands by humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza.
Aid groups have for months complained of difficulties bringing in equipment and supplies, blaming Israeli restrictions.
Israel rejects those accusations, saying it oversees the entry of goods into Gaza to ensure its security.
