TEHRAN — Iran is preparing for the first launch from its new Chabahar Space Center, a facility designed to handle solid-fuel space vehicles, the head of the Iranian Space Agency announced Saturday.
Hassan Salarieh, speaking to local media, said the initial phase of the southern coastal center has been completed and final preparations for its inaugural launch are underway. He noted that a second phase, intended for liquid-fuel satellite carriers, will follow soon after.
The announcement highlights Iran’s push to expand its domestic space program, which Tehran frames as vital to scientific progress and national development but which Western governments often view with suspicion because of potential overlap between space-launch and missile technologies.
Salarieh also outlined the agency’s satellite portfolio. Following the launches of Pars-1 and Nahid-2, he said engineers are working on improved versions informed by their in-orbit performance. Pars-2, unveiled last year, is undergoing final tests, while Pars-3 — designed with sub-meter imaging accuracy — has shown “significant progress” since development began in 2024.
Iran’s focus, Salarieh emphasized, is not only on expanding technical capacity but also on developing practical applications for communication, observation, and data services. Both government agencies and private-sector partners are involved in the projects, reflecting a broader effort to root satellite technology in the country’s infrastructure.
“The advancement of homegrown satellites is essential for the growth of Iran’s space industry,” Salarieh said, adding that each new launch represents a step toward self-sufficiency in a strategically sensitive field.
The Chabahar facility, on the Gulf of Oman, is expected to serve as Iran’s flagship launch site for years to come.
