Iran state TV says Tehran launches rocket into space

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran said Thursday it launched a rocket with a outer bearer bearing 3 devices into space, though it’s unclear if immoderate of the objects entered orbit astir the Earth.

The authorities TV report, arsenic good arsenic others by semiofficial quality agencies, did not accidental erstwhile the motorboat was conducted nor what devices the bearer brought with it. However, the motorboat comes amid ongoing negotiations successful Vienna implicit Iran’s tattered atomic deal. Previous launches person drawn rebukes from the United States.

Ahmad Hosseini, a Defense Ministry spokesman, identified the rocket usage arsenic a Simorgh, oregon “Phoenix,” rocket. He said the 3 devices were sent up 470 kilometers (290 miles).

Hosseini was quoted arsenic saying the “performance of the abstraction halfway and the show of the outer bearer was done properly.”

However, nary 1 instantly said if the objects launched reached orbit. Iran has suffered a bid of setbacks successful its abstraction programme successful caller launches.

Iranian authorities media precocious offered a database of upcoming planned outer launches for the Islamic Republic’s civilian abstraction program. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard runs its ain parallel programme that successfully enactment a outer into orbit past year.

Conducting a motorboat amid the Vienna talks fits the hard-line posture struck by Tehran’s negotiators, who already described six erstwhile rounds of diplomacy arsenic a “draft,” exasperating Western nations. Germany’s caller overseas curate has gone arsenic acold arsenic to pass that “time is moving retired for america astatine this point.”