Tehran Outraged at US Pledge to Obstruct its Weapons Program

Suicide drones displayed during a ceremony in Iran on Thursday (AP)
Suicide drones displayed during a ceremony in Iran on Thursday (AP)
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Tehran Outraged at US Pledge to Obstruct its Weapons Program

Suicide drones displayed during a ceremony in Iran on Thursday (AP)
Suicide drones displayed during a ceremony in Iran on Thursday (AP)

Tehran has expressed outrage at US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s pledge to obstruct Iran’s arms purchases, describing it as “provocative” and an attempt to “stir up differences” between countries in the region.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said that Iran’s military program was “merely for defense and deterrence”, and not against any country that does not intend to attack Iran.

On Thursday, Blinken pledged to obstruct Iran’s quest to engage in the arms market, accusing Tehran of “destabilization” attempts.

He was referring to a new set of sanctions imposed last Wednesday by the US administration on an international network of companies that are circumventing sanctions aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining spare parts for drones.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman criticized the US sanctions, saying: “The provocative statements of the US Secretary of State regarding the Iranian military program aim to continue marketing US weapons.”

He accused Washington of “seeking to consolidate the failed project of intimidation against Iran, and stir up disputes between the countries of the region.”

“Contrary to the irresponsible statements, the Islamic Republic has always underscored the need for good neighborliness, dialogue, contribution and cooperation to guarantee security and joint interests of the regional countries away from foreign interventions,” Kanaani added.

He noted that developments that are moving forward “come in this context,” referring to Iran’s improving relations with a number of countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia.

Kanaani also blamed what he called the “ill-considered and wrong actions” of the United States for “insecurity and instability in the region for decades.”

“It is in the interest of this country to abandon its wrong, interventionist and irresponsible approaches to the issues of the countries of the region,” he emphasized.

Last week, the Iranian army announced that it had obtained dozens of combat and reconnaissance drones. Mahmoud Mousavi, Deputy Chief of Army Operations, said that his forces were now able to plan to carry out drone attacks against distant targets.



Iran Media: Russian Rocket Puts Iran Satellite into Space

A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage, carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites and 18 payloads, including Iran's Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite, blasts off from its launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far-eastern Amur region, Russia July 25, 2025. Roscosmos/Ivan Timoshenko/Handout via REUTERS
A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage, carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites and 18 payloads, including Iran's Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite, blasts off from its launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far-eastern Amur region, Russia July 25, 2025. Roscosmos/Ivan Timoshenko/Handout via REUTERS
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Iran Media: Russian Rocket Puts Iran Satellite into Space

A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage, carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites and 18 payloads, including Iran's Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite, blasts off from its launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far-eastern Amur region, Russia July 25, 2025. Roscosmos/Ivan Timoshenko/Handout via REUTERS
A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage, carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites and 18 payloads, including Iran's Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite, blasts off from its launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far-eastern Amur region, Russia July 25, 2025. Roscosmos/Ivan Timoshenko/Handout via REUTERS

A Russian rocket put an Iranian communications satellite into space on Friday, Iranian state media reported, the latest achievement for an aerospace program that has long concerned Western governments.

"The Nahid-2 communications satellite was launched from Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome using a Soyuz rocket," state television said.

Weighing 110 kilograms (over 240 pounds), the satellite was designed and manufactured by Iranian engineers, the broadcaster added.

Western governments have long expressed concern that technological advances made in Iran's space program can also be used to upgrade its ballistic missile arsenal, AFP reported.

The launch was announced shortly before nuclear talks between Iran and Britain, France and Germany opened in Istanbul.

In December, Iran announced it had put its heaviest payload to date into space, using a domestically manufactured satellite carrier.

In September, Iran said it had put the Chamran-1 research satellite into orbit using the Ghaem-100 carrier, which is produced by the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace division.