Iran says to continue space program under international law

Iran’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations says the Islamic Republic is determined to keep up with its activities related to ballistic missiles and space-launch vehicles within the framework of international law.

Amir Saeid Iravani addressed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council’s President Sergio Franca Danese in a letter on Wednesday.

“We reiterate, once again, that Iran is determined to continue its activities related to ballistic missiles and space-launch vehicles, both of which are within its inherent rights under international law and are necessary for the preservation of its security as well as socioeconomic interests.”

The letter came after Britain, Germany and France claimed in a letter to the UN on Monday that Iran’s space activities violate the Security Council’s resolutions. The trio submitted the letter after Iran launched Qased (Messenger) satellite carrier in late September.

Iravani also said in his letter that the UK, France and Germany “once again desperately attempted to establish an unrelated and fabricated link between paragraph 3 of Annex B to Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015) and Iran’s Qased Space Launch Vehicle (SLV) on 27 September 2023 which successfully launched the Noor-3 satellite into orbit.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects unsubstantiated allegations made against it in the letter and reiterates that Iran has not conducted any activity inconsistent with Resolution 2231 (2015). Iran regards such allegations as unfounded that are equally as unjustified as the arbitrary and misleading interpretations of Resolution 2231,” Iran’s UN envoy said.

The Islamic Republic’s “position regarding these repeated and unfounded claims has been elaborated in its numerous letters,” Iravani said.

Iran successfully launches Nour-3 satellite into orbit

Iran successfully launched the homegrown imaging satellite Nour-3 into orbit on Wednesday morning.

London has also claimed the carrier used “technology essential for the development of a long-range ballistic missile system.”

Iravani reiterated that “Iran has repeatedly stated that its missile and space programs fall outside of the purview or competence of Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015) and its annexes.”

Despite sanctions imposed by Western countries in recent years, Iran has managed to take giant strides in its civilian space program. It is among the world’s top 10 countries capable of developing and launching satellites.

“We caution against any politically driven approach used by certain developed countries with space programs that seek to demonize the use of space technology for peaceful purposes by developing countries under absurd pretexts, such as proliferation concerns,” the Iranian diplomat said.

“This hypocritical approach seriously jeopardizes the exercise of the inherent right of states to access space and celestial bodies as well as their freedom to explore and use outer space for peaceful purposes, including their free access to space science, technologies, and applications without discrimination of any kind.”

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