Russia Launches Iranian Satellites to Orbit

Russia on Sunday launched three Iranian communications satellites into orbit, marking the second such launch since July, Iranian state television reported.

Iranian Satellites Launched by Russia

The report stated that a Russian rocket carried the satellites to a 500-kilometer (310-mile) orbit from the Vostochny launchpad in eastern Russia. The three satellites are named Paya, Kowsar and Zafar-2.

Paya, weighing 150 kilograms (330 pounds), is the heaviest satellite Iran has ever deployed into orbit. Kowsar weighs 35 kilograms (77 pounds), while the weight of Zafar-2 was not specified in the report.

The satellites are equipped to provide images with resolutions up to 3 meters, which can be used for managing water resources, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. They have a projected lifespan of up to five years.

Russia has periodically launched Iranian satellites into orbit, demonstrating the close relationship between the two countries. In July, the Russian rocket launched Iran’s Nahid-2 communications satellite into orbit.

Russia, which signed a “strategic partnership” treaty with Iran in January, has strongly condemned the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that occurred during a 12-day air war in June, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,100 Iranians, including military commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated with missile barrages that killed 28 people in Israel.

Iran has consistently pursued satellite launches as a long-term project.

The United States has maintained that Iran’s satellite launches violate a U.N. Security Council resolution and has urged Tehran to refrain from any activity involving ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. U.N. sanctions related to Iran’s ballistic missile program expired in 2023.