Russian rocket launches Iranian satellite into orbit as Moscow and Tehran expand ties

MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian rocket successfully launched Tuesday, carrying two Iranian satellites into orbit, a launch that reflected this growing collaboration between Moscow and Tehran.

The Soyuz rocket took off as scheduled from the Vostochny launch site in the Russian Far East and delivered its payload into a designated orbit nine minutes after liftoff. On board were two Russian Ionosphere-M Earth observation satellites and several dozen smaller satellites, including the two Iranian ones.

Iran's two satellites, Kowsar and Hodhod, were the first to be launched on behalf of the country's private sector. In 2022, a Russian rocket launched an Iranian Earth observation satellite called Khayyam, built in Russia on behalf of Tehran, and in February Russia launched another Iranian satellite called Pars-1 into orbit.

Tuesday's launch comes as Russia and Iran have expanded their ties in various areas. Ukraine and the West have accused Tehran of supplying Moscow with hundreds of exploding drones for use on the battlefield in Ukraine and helping to boost their production in Russia. Iran's drone deliveries, which Moscow and Tehran have denied, have led to a constant barrage of long-range drone attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure.

Moscow and Tehran plan to further strengthen their ties through a “comprehensive strategic partnership” to be signed later this year Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian's planned visit to Russia. The date for that visit has not yet been set, but the Kremlin said it could take place soon.

The successful launch of Iran's satellites on a Russian rocket on Tuesday follows a series of failed launches that have plagued Iran's civilian space program in recent years. There were five failed starts in a row Simorgh programa satellite-based rocket.

A fire at the Imam Khomeini Cosmodrome in February 2019 killed three researchers, authorities said at the time. A rocket explosion on the launch pad later that year caught the attention of then-President Donald Trump, who mocked Iran with a tweet It shows what appears to be a US surveillance photo of the site.

At the same time, there were successful launches of a separate Iranian space program run by the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard from a military base outside Shahroud, about 350 kilometers (215 miles) east of the capital Tehran. However, satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press show Israel likely bombed the site during its retaliatory strike against Iran on October 26.

This year's U.S. intelligence community global threat assessment said Iran's development of satellite launch vehicles would “shorten the timeline” for Iran to develop an ICBM because it uses similar technology.

ICBMs can be used to deliver nuclear weapons. After the collapse of its nuclear deal with world powers, Iran is now producing uranium that is close to weapons-grade levels. Tehran has enough enriched uranium for “multiple” nuclear weapons if it decides to produce them. warned the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and said its space program, like its nuclear activities, are purely civilian. However, U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA say Iran had an organized military nuclear program until 2003.