London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

Russia launches Iranian satellite into space from Kazakhstan base

Russia launches Iranian satellite into space from Kazakhstan base

The launch signals the beginning of ‘strategic cooperation’ between the two countries in the space industry, according to the Iranian ICT minister.

A high-resolution Iranian-owned satellite has been launched into space from a base in Kazakhstan on board a Russian rocket, amid speculation about its uses.

The remote-sensing Khayyam satellite, which Iran has said it wants to use for non-military purposes, was successfully launched on Tuesday, according to footage aired live by Iranian state television.

Earlier this month, The Washington Post quoted anonymous Western intelligence officials as claiming that Russia plans to use the satellite “for months or longer” to assist its war efforts in Ukraine.

The claim has been rejected by the Iranian Space Agency (ISA), which said last week it will have exclusive control over the satellite “from day one”, and Russia’s Roscosmos.

ISA said orders transmitted to the satellite and data received from it will be encrypted and controlled by a team of Iranian engineers and scientists in Iran, and “no other country has access to the information throughout this process”.

The agency also emphasised that images from Khayyam, which are expected to come with a resolution of one metre, will be used to bolster “management and planning capacities” in a variety of industries such as agriculture, natural resources, environment, water resources, mining, disaster management, in addition to border monitoring.




According to the state-run news agency IRNA, Iran has the capability to build remote-sensing satellites with an image resolution of 5-10 metres (16.4-32.8 feet), and can inject up to 50kg (110pounds) packages into an orbit of 500km (311 miles).

But the Khayyam – named after 11th-century Persian polymath Omar Khayyam – which was commissioned by Iran and built by Russia, can hit a much more precise resolution of 1 metre (3.3 feet) and is to operate at the 500km orbit while weighing about 600kg (1,322 pounds).

“This is the start of a strategic cooperation between Iran and Russia in the space industry,” Iran’s ICT Minister Issa Zarepour said in a video on Monday while standing in front of the rocket in Baikonur, adding that Iran aims to achieve the technology to put a 100kg satellite into the 500km orbit by next year.

Iran has also stressed that the country’s military space programme is separate, with the ISA saying, “the country’s defence forces will pursue their own exclusive paths technically and strategically to account for their own needs”.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has launched two satellites into space so far, with the second launch taking place in March.

The elite forces’ aerospace chief, Amirali Hajizadeh, announced last month that the IRGC plans to launch another satellite into orbit before the end of the current Iranian year in March 2023.

Iran’s defence ministry also test-launched a satellite vehicle in late June that it said was for research purposes.

Iran has maintained that its military space programme is for defence purposes only and poses no threat to others, but Western officials have expressed concern, saying the same technology can be used to carry nuclear warheads.

Iran has consistently said it does not seek a nuclear weapon, and efforts have been under way since April 2021 to restore its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which the US unilaterally abandoned in 2018.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Tehran last month and met Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi as the two countries are trying to renew a 20-year cooperation agreement.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×