Telegraph, 17 Aug 2008 – Iran said it had successfully launched a rocket capable of carrying a satellite into orbit, a move that could further exacerbate tensions with the West over its nuclear drive.
Saturday’s launch comes amid a standoff between Iran and the international community over Tehran’s refusal to suspend sensitive nuclear work – which some Western countries fear could be used to make an atomic bomb.
Iran, embroiled in a standoff with the West over Tehran’s disputed nuclear ambitions, sparked international concern in February by testing the rocket designed to carry the satellite. The same technology used to put satellites into space can also be used to deliver warheads.
Iran also claimed that it had increased the range of its warplanes, allowing them to fly as far as Israel and back without refuelling.