Status: 09.08.2022 1:06 p.m
Russia has launched a military surveillance satellite into orbit for Iran. Iran wants to use it to obtain data for agriculture – and asserts that the satellite will not be used by Moscow in the war against Ukraine.
Russia launched a satellite into space for Iran. According to the space agency Roskosmos, the start took place in the morning at the Russian cosmodrome Baikonur, as reported by the Interfax agency.
The Soyuz rocket transported a total of 17 probes into space. The largest is the Chayyam military surveillance satellite. The Iranian news agency Irna reported that the first data from the satellite had already been received.
With Chayyam, Iran wants to “monitor the country’s borders, increase agricultural productivity and monitor water resources and natural disasters,” according to its space agency.
The government in Tehran has rejected allegations that Russia could use the satellite for reconnaissance purposes in the war with Ukraine. Rather, Iran had full control over the satellite from day one.
High resolution images of the earth
The “Washington Post” reported last week on fears in US government circles that the satellite could not only help Russia in Ukraine. Rather, it could also give Iran unprecedented opportunities to identify potential military targets in Israel, among other places.
Accordingly, the satellite can take high-resolution images of the earth. In Washington, space cooperation between Russia and Iran is viewed with skepticism overall.
The satellite launch follows three weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iran. During Putin’s visit, Iran showed understanding for Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Putin agreed to long-term cooperation with the temporal and spiritual head of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei said Russia and Iran must be vigilant against “Western deceptions.”