Russian rocket launches Iranian satellites into orbit as Moscow and Tehran expand ties

MOSCOW -- A Russian rocket connected Tuesday blasted disconnected successfully to transportation a brace of Iranian satellites into orbit, a motorboat that reflected growing cooperation betwixt Moscow and Tehran.

The Soyuz rocket lifted disconnected arsenic scheduled from Vostochny launchpad successful acold eastbound Russia and put its payload into a designated orbit 9 minutes aft nan launch. It was carrying 2 Russian Ionosphere-M Earth study satellites and respective twelve smaller satellites, including nan 2 Iranian ones.

Iran’s 2 satellites, named Kowsar and Hodhod, were nan first launched connected behalf of nan country’s backstage sector. In 2022, a Russian rocket launched an Iranian Earth study outer that was built successful Russia connected Tehran’s order.

Tuesday's motorboat comes arsenic Russia and Iran person expanded ties successful various spheres. Ukraine and nan West person accused Tehran of providing Moscow pinch hundreds of exploding drones for usage connected nan battlefield successful Ukraine and helped motorboat their accumulation successful Russia. The Iranian drone deliveries, which Moscow and Tehran person denied, person allowed for a changeless barrage of long-range drone strikes astatine Ukraine’s infrastructure.

Moscow and Tehran are readying to further bolster their ties pinch a “comprehensive strategical partnership” that is group to beryllium signed during Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s planned sojourn to Russia. The day for that sojourn hasn’t been group yet, but nan Kremlin said it could hap soon.

Tuesday’s successful motorboat of nan Iranian satellites atop a Russian rocket follows a bid of grounded launches suffered by Iran’s civilian abstraction programme successful caller years. There person been 5 grounded launches successful a statement for nan Simorgh program, a satellite-carrying rocket.