Iran conducted its second satellite launcher test in a row, claiming it was for research purposes. The launch was carried out at a dessert launch pad at Imam Khomeini Space Center southeast of Semnan, the site of frequent recent failed attempts. The satellite launcher Zoljanah is named after the horse of the third Shiite Imam, Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. The satellite carrier measures 25.5 metres in length and weighs approximately 52 tons. It utilises a 1.5-meter-diameter solid-fuel engine with 74 tonnes of thrust.It was the second such test carried out on the site. Iran’s first launch was NOOR2, which was carried out in March 2020.
The Noor, meaning light, was in an orbit 425km (265 miles) above the earth’s surface in 2020. It is still unknown whether the satellite was successful in being put into orbit.The Iranian Defense Ministry confirmed the news that the “Zuljanah” is a three-stage satellite launcher using a combination of solid and liquid fuels. He said, “The third development phase of the Zuljanah satellite launcher will be based on a combination of information gained during today’s launch.” Before the launch, no remarks had been made by Iranian officials.
On the day of the launch, there was no confirmation.The launch took place when Josep Borrell, the senior diplomat for the EU, was visiting Tehran. According to reports, the purpose of his visit is to encourage the renewal of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. His words revealed that the Iranians had consented to cooperate in this agreement with the United States.If the negotiations are successful, the majority of the severe sanctions that the US has placed on Iran since Washington abruptly left the agreement in 2018 could be lifted.
In exchange, Iran would reinstate major restrictions on its nuclear programme that were agreed to as part of the initial agreement.There have been recent disagreements between Iran and the USA over the 2015 nuclear deal. Despite multiple stages of talks in Vienna over the agreement, the nuclear deal was stalled for many reasons. This talk about reviving the deal dates back to March, but no progress has been made.According to reports by Al Jazeera, Borrell said that Iran had made a new proposal to the USA to move further with the talks.The EU officials had a comprehensive talk with Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian. The talk came out positively. Borrell also welcomed the resumption of the negotiations, saying a restored nuclear deal would benefit the region and the world.
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He further said that he is likely to initiate talks between the EU and Iran regarding cooperation on trade and energy when sanctions are lifted against Iran and the USA earlier expressed such concerns over the Iranian’s satellite launches motive could be also be used to launch nuclear warheads. But Iran has routinely ignored these cautions. They insist that their nuclear program is entirely harmless. Over the past weeks, there was constant news breakage of the death of Iranian aerospace specialists and scientists in a suspected plot alleged by the Iranians. But whether this launch by the Iranians has some connections with the move is too early to determine
