Iranian rocket launch on Sunday
Photo: Reuters
US: Iranian launch of dummy satellite failed, but still worrying
American military official says part of rocket that is supposed to hold satellite detached during test. White House: Iranians development and testing of rockets, troubling, raises further questions about their intentions
A source in the US Military said Sunday's launching of an Iranian dummy satellite into orbit on a home-grown rocket was "not as successful as the Tehran claimed it to be".
The US official was quoted by the London-based Arabic language newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat as saying the part of the rocket that is supposed to hold the satellite was detached during the test, adding that recent Iranian statements, such as talk of developing anti-ship missiles, "do not indicate peaceful intentions on Tehran's part".
Technological Developments
Day after Islamic republic put dummy satellite into orbit on home-grown rocket for first time, Tehran's defense minister says, ' We are ready to launch satellites for friendly Islamic countries'
The White House said Sunday that Iran's announcement it had launched a home-built rocket into space was "troubling" because such technology could also be used for ballistic missiles.
"The Iranian development and testing of rockets is troubling and raises further questions about their intentions," spokesman Gordon Johndroe said as US President George W. Bush spent time on his Texas ranch.
"This action and dual use possibilities for their ballistic missile program have been a subject of IAEA discussions and are inconsistent with their UN Security Council obligations," Johndroe said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency – the UN nuclear watchdog.
AFP contributed to this report
