The Russian space agency said it had put 55 satellites into orbit overnight Monday, including two Iranian satellites built by a private company, as Moscow and Tehran strengthen ties.
A Soyuz rocket carrying "two Ionosfera-M solar geophysical satellites and 53 Russian and foreign small satellites" took off at 2:18 a.m. Moscow time (23:18 GMT) from the Vostochny spaceport in Russia's Far East, Roscosmos said in a statement.
The agency said the "record simultaneous launch" was "successful" and included 51 Russian satellites, "two Iranian small satellites," a Russian-Chinese satellite and a Russian-Zimbabwean satellite.
The Iranian satellites, Al-Kawthar and Al-Hudhud, were launched, according to the Iranian embassy in Moscow, which on Monday welcomed what it called "a firm and decisive first step ... towards the entry of the private sector in the Islamic Republic into the space sector."
The satellites will be used in agriculture, transportation, environment and mapping, according to the website of their manufacturer Omidvaza.
Soyuz rockets have put several Iranian satellites into orbit over the past year, but this is the first time it has put satellites from the Iranian private sector into orbit.
Iran insists its aerospace activities are peaceful and in line with a UN Security Council resolution.
But Western governments fear that it could use technology that could be used to develop ballistic missiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
At the recent BRICS summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian and praised the “growing” bilateral ties, adding that he wanted to “consolidate the emerging positive dynamics in trade and economic cooperation” between the two countries.
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has strengthened its ties with Iran, which has been accused of supplying it with weapons in its war against Kiev.
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