What’s 240 pounds, built in Iran, and just hitched a ride into orbit on a Russian rocket? The Nahid-2 satellite.
Iranian state media confirmed on Friday that the locally designed communications satellite blasted off.
It launched from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome aboard a Soyuz rocket.
It’s another high-tech leap for Iran’s aerospace program—one that’s been raising eyebrows in the West for years.
Why The Concern?
Western powers worry that space tech like this could double as a launchpad—literally—for more advanced ballistic missile systems.
It’s not just about satellites; it’s about what those rockets could carry in the future.
And timing matters. This launch comes right as Iran sits down with Britain, France, and Germany for nuclear talks in Istanbul.
It is the first since a June conflict with Israel reignited global tensions.
The U.S. had even struck Iranian nuclear facilities during that flare-up.
Iran’s not new to bold moves in space. Last December, it launched its heaviest satellite yet.
In September, the military-run IRGC fired the Chamran-1 into orbit using their Ghaem-100 rocket.
So, is this about better cell service—or something much bigger?
As Iran aims higher, the world keeps one eye on the sky—and the other on the geopolitics unfolding below.
