IRGC Prepares to Launch New Satellite Carrier

 A handout picture provided by the Iran's Ministry of Defense on June 26, 2022, shows an Iranian satellite-carrier rocket, called “Zuljanah,” blasting off from an undisclosed location in Iran. (Iran's Ministry of Defense/AFP)
A handout picture provided by the Iran's Ministry of Defense on June 26, 2022, shows an Iranian satellite-carrier rocket, called “Zuljanah,” blasting off from an undisclosed location in Iran. (Iran's Ministry of Defense/AFP)
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IRGC Prepares to Launch New Satellite Carrier

 A handout picture provided by the Iran's Ministry of Defense on June 26, 2022, shows an Iranian satellite-carrier rocket, called “Zuljanah,” blasting off from an undisclosed location in Iran. (Iran's Ministry of Defense/AFP)
A handout picture provided by the Iran's Ministry of Defense on June 26, 2022, shows an Iranian satellite-carrier rocket, called “Zuljanah,” blasting off from an undisclosed location in Iran. (Iran's Ministry of Defense/AFP)

Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh unveiled Monday plans to send a new homegrown satellite carrier into space.

Hajizadeh told Iran’s official news agency IRNA that Iran will put new satellites into orbit with its Qaem satellite carrier, which runs on solid fuel.

The Iranian state television indicated that Qaem rocket was first displayed before 2010, in the presence of Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, the “architect” of the country’s missile program.

Moghaddam was killed on November 12, 2011 in a massive explosion at a munitions base outside the capital Tehran. The blast killed 36 IRGC elements, according to figures presented by Iranian authorities.

The television also showed a picture of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei with Moghaddam, saying that Khamenei was on an inspection tour to be briefed on Qaem rocket’s project.

In January, the IRGC revealed testing solid-fuel rocket engines, the television noted.

Hajizadeh said then that the new missiles “are made of composite materials, rather than metal, and their engine is immobile.”

He explained that this “increases the missile’s power and that the technology is not expensive,” which enables it to transport heavy loads such as satellites.

Iran has previously launched liquid-fueled rockets into space.

On June 26, Iranian state television said that Tehran had launched a solid-fuel rocket into space.

Ahmad Hosseini, spokesman for Iran's Defense Ministry, said Zuljanah, a 25.5 meter-long rocket is capable of carrying a satellite of 220 kilograms (485 pounds) that would gather data in low-earth orbit and promote Iran's space industry.

Its launching process extends to three phases, two phases using solid fuel and one using liquid fuel.

Satellite images taken in March by Maxar Technologies showed scorch marks at a launch pad at Imam Khomeini Spaceport in Iran’s rural Semnan province. A rocket stand on the pad appears scorched and damaged, with vehicles surrounding it.

The rocket involved appears to have been Iran’s Zuljanah satellite launch vehicle, said experts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies who first noticed the attempted launch with colleagues.

Earlier in March, the IRGC's Aerospace Force successfully launched the Noor-2 reconnaissance satellite at an altitude of 500 km, using the Qased carrier.

Noor-2 is Iran's second military satellite sent into Low Earth orbit following its predecessor Noor-1, which was carried by the Qased rocket in April 2020 to an orbit of 425 km above the earth's surface.



Russia Warns of Consequences for Striking Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)
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Russia Warns of Consequences for Striking Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)

Moscow warned against military action targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure following US President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb the country if it fails to reach an agreement.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov criticized Trump’s threats of military force, warning that escalation would have catastrophic consequences for the entire region.

Russia opposes coercive solutions, aggression, and military strikes, Ryabkov said.

He condemned Washington’s threats against Iran as an attempt to impose its will on Tehran, cautioning that further escalation would only complicate the situation and require greater efforts in the future to contain the risks of a new conflict in the Middle East, where tensions are already at a peak.

Moscow has previously offered to mediate between Washington and Tehran. Analysts suggest Russia is seeking to strengthen its diplomatic leverage by positioning itself as a key player in resolving the nuclear standoff. Russian officials believe they can offer security guarantees to both sides, similar to those provided during the 2015 nuclear deal negotiations.

Moscow and Washington have reportedly discussed, through contacts in Saudi Arabia, the possibility of Russia facilitating dialogue on Iran. However, Trump’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric has raised concerns in Moscow.

Ilya Vaskin, a researcher at the Center for the Study of the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia at HSE University, said issuing ultimatums is a hallmark of the Trump administration’s negotiating style. According to Vaskin, Washington is trying to pressure Iran into a swift agreement and secure a new nuclear deal on its own terms.

Lev Sokolchik, a senior researcher at the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the HSE University, noted that Iran has made significant progress in its nuclear program and missile capabilities in recent years. He argued that Trump is trying to curb Iran’s military ambitions, which could threaten U. interests in the region.

Sokolchik warned that Iran could develop a nuclear weapon within months, a scenario that deeply concerns both the United States and Israel.