The Jerusalem Post: Iranian satellite raises concerns in Israel
The Jerusalem Post, highlighted Iran’s announcement of launching a satellite into space, which raised Western fears that it was an advance in Iran’s ballistic missile program.
According to the Israeli newspaper, Tehran’s claims about the successful launch of the satellite to test hardware and software systems to validate orbital maneuvering technology with a missile manufactured by the Revolutionary Guards have not been verified.
Footage published by Iranian media showed the missile being launched from a mobile launcher.
An Associated Press analysis of the video and other images later released suggested the launch occurred from a Revolutionary Guard launch pad on the outskirts of the city of Shahroud, about 350 kilometers (220 miles) east of the capital, Tehran.
The Jerusalem Post said that this Iranian announcement came amid escalating tensions sweeping the Middle East more broadly due to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, during which Tehran launched an unprecedented direct attack with missiles and drones on Israel last April.
The Jerusalem Post noted that in the worldwide threat assessment conducted by US intelligence agencies this year, Iran’s development of satellite launch vehicles would shorten the timeline for Iran to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile because it uses similar technology.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly warned that Tehran has enough enriched uranium to manufacture several nuclear weapons, if it decides to produce them.
Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and says its space program, like its nuclear activities, is purely for civilian purposes.
However, US intelligence agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency say Iran had an organized military nuclear program.
The United States had earlier warned that Iran’s satellite launches defied a UN Security Council resolution and called on Tehran not to undertake any activity involving ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
It’s worth noting that UN sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile program expired last October.
