Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), on Wednesday, announced the successful launch of a military satellite amid US tensions.
According to the information released by Iranian officials, the satellite named ‘Noor’ is the first military satellite of the country was launched into the orbit via a two-stage satellite launch from Iran’s Central Desert, and is now orbiting 425km (264 miles) above the Earth’s surface.
The announcement of successful launch comes after several previously failed attempts to successfully launch a satellite into orbit.
In February, Iran failed to put its Zafar 1 communications satellite into orbit, which was preceded by failed launch of Payam and Doosti satellites last year.
The launch comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US after a U.S. drone strike in Iraq killed Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in January, which then prompted Iran to launch more than a dozen ballistic missiles targeting two US air bases in Irbil and Al Asad, west of Baghdad.
