Iran fails another attempt to launch satellite into space

“The Pentagon was watching” as Iran attempted, and failed, to launch yet another satellite into orbit earlier this month, multiple defense sources told CNN.

“U.S. Space Command is aware of the Iranian rocket launch failure which occurred early June 12th,” a Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Col. Uriah Orland, told CNN. Neither he nor other officials consulted could provide an explanation for the cause of the failure, nor could they specify at which stage the attempt to launch the satellite had failed. Previous Iranian attempts have ended in satellites exploding on the launchpad, but some did make it into the air only to later crash.

There are already signs that Iran is preparing for another launch in the not-too-distant future. Satellite imagery obtained by several private surveillance companies has revealed enhanced activity at the Imam Khomeini Spaceport over the past few days, with fuel containers, support vehicles, and a mobile platform clearly visible in the images, taken on June 20th.

According to the Washington Post, Russia is preparing to supply Iran with an advanced satellite system that would grant the Iranians the ability to track targets across the Middle East, including military bases in Israel. Russian President Vladimir Putin denied the veracity of the report.

The latest developments come at a critical time in relations between Iran and the United States, as the Biden administration moves forward with its plans to return to the Iran nuclear agreement and to relax sanctions against the Islamic regime. The recent election of the “ultra-conservative” Ebrahim Raisi as Iran’s next president may also impact on U.S. foreign policy with regard to Iran, with White House press secretary Jen Psaki telling reporters on Monday that U.S. President Joe Biden currently has no plans to meet with Raisi.