Belgian publication praises Iran’s successful satellite launch

Pars Today — A Belgian magazine highlighted the successful launch of Iranian satellites despite sanctions.

EE News Europe reported that three satellites built by the Islamic Republic of Iran were successfully launched from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome on December 28, 2025. The satellites—Zafar-2, Paya, and Kowsar-1.5—were designed to enhance Iran’s capabilities in Earth observation and environmental data collection.

According to Pars Today, Iranian officials stated that the satellites were deployed into orbit without any disruption, and initial system checks were completed immediately after separation.

A few hours after the launch, the first telemetry signals from all three satellites were received by Iranian ground stations. The Iranian Minister of Communications and Information Technology highlighted that simultaneous data reception at multiple stations indicated the full health of the satellites’ power, attitude control, and communication subsystems. With this milestone achieved, the satellites entered the orbit stabilization phase and began their operational missions.

The launch took place during a critical period for the Islamic Republic of Iran, amid economic pressures and international sanctions imposed by the West. The successful deployment of the Iranian satellites demonstrates the nation’s determination to continue its non-military space programs and to strengthen domestic capabilities in advanced technologies. Iranian officials emphasized that the mission is strictly focused on Earth observation with scientific and civilian objectives.

The new satellites are equipped with capabilities for imaging and environmental data collection, which will be used for monitoring forests and natural resources, assessing agricultural conditions and crops, analyzing weather patterns, and managing water and soil resources. This data can help improve agricultural productivity, reduce climate-related risks, and stabilize domestic markets.

The head of the Iranian Space Agency announced plans for new launches in 2026, which will utilize Iranian launch vehicles from space centers currently under construction in Chabahar and Salmas. Iran aims to conduct five to six space launches annually, gradually shifting a larger portion of these activities to domestic infrastructure.