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Iran Denies Reports Claiming Russia Will Use its New Satellite in Ukraine War

Image released by Iranian state television in June shows Tehran's satellite-carrier rocket Zuljanah blasting off from an undisclosed location. (AP)
Image released by Iranian state television in June shows Tehran's satellite-carrier rocket Zuljanah blasting off from an undisclosed location. (AP)
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Iran Denies Reports Claiming Russia Will Use its New Satellite in Ukraine War

Image released by Iranian state television in June shows Tehran's satellite-carrier rocket Zuljanah blasting off from an undisclosed location. (AP)
Image released by Iranian state television in June shows Tehran's satellite-carrier rocket Zuljanah blasting off from an undisclosed location. (AP)

Iran announced on Sunday that its satellite, scheduled to be launched by Russia next week, will be under its control "from day one."

Tehran denied the US reports that Moscow would use the satellite as part of its war against Ukraine.

Russia will launch a satellite on behalf of Iran into space on Aug. 9. The spacecraft, a remote sensing satellite called "Khayyam," will be sent into orbit by a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur space station in Kazakhstan.

The Iranian Space Organization stressed that the satellite would be under its supervision from "day one" it is put into orbit.

"All orders related to the control and operation of this satellite will be carried out and issued from day one and immediately after launch by Iranian experts based in Iran's...space bases," the Agency said in a statement.

It dismissed the claims as "untrue" and said, "no third country is able to access the information" sent by satellite due to its "encrypted algorithm."

The Washington Post quoted Western intelligence officials that Russia will use this satellite for several months for military purposes related to its invasion of Ukraine before handing it over to Tehran.

A report by the newspaper on Aug 4 claimed that Russia "plans to use the satellite for several months or longer" to assist its war efforts in Ukraine before allowing Iran to take control.

It added, quoting unnamed Western intelligence officials, that Iran may not be able to supervise the satellite from the beginning but that Russia "plans to use the satellite for several months, or longer, to enhance its surveillance of military targets in that conflict."

The announcement of the satellite came after the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Iran on July 19.

In June 2021, Putin denied US press reports about Russia's intention to provide an advanced satellite system for Iran to improve its surveillance.

Iranian space activities often receive condemnation from Western countries due to fears that Tehran will resort to enhancing its expertise in the field of ballistic missiles by launching satellites into space.

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Putin Says He Hopes there Will Be No Need to Use Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the educational marathon at the Victory Museum on Poklonnaya Gora in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the educational marathon at the Victory Museum on Poklonnaya Gora in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
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Putin Says He Hopes there Will Be No Need to Use Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the educational marathon at the Victory Museum on Poklonnaya Gora in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the educational marathon at the Victory Museum on Poklonnaya Gora in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in comments broadcast on Sunday that the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine had not arisen, and that he hoped it would not arise.
In a fragment of an upcoming interview with Russian state television published on Telegram, Putin said that Russia has the strength and the means to bring the conflict in Ukraine to a "logical conclusion", Reuters reported.
Responding to a question about Ukrainian strikes on Russia from a state television reporter, Putin said: "There has been no need to use those (nuclear) weapons ... and I hope they will not be required."
He said: "We have enough strength and means to bring what was started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires."
Putin in February 2022 ordered tens of thousands of Russian troops into Ukraine, in what the Kremlin calls a "special military operation" against its neighbor.
Though Russian troops were repelled from Kyiv, Moscow's forces currently control around 20% of Ukraine, including much of the south and east.
Putin has in recent weeks expressed willingness to negotiate a peace settlement, as US President Donald Trump has said he wants to end the conflict via diplomatic means.
Fear of nuclear escalation has been a factor in US officials' thinking since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. Former CIA Director William Burns has said there was a real risk in late 2022 that Russia could use nuclear weapons against Ukraine.