Iran Now Says Satellite Can Spy on Israel

Deputy Telecom Minister Ahmad Talebzadeh answers a question from media during a news conference in Tehran on Wednesday Nov. 16, 2005. One month after its launch, and only weeks after the Iranian president said Israel should be wiped off the map, the head of Iran's space program now says the Sina-1 satellite could be used to spy on the Jewish state. The launch of the Sina-1 satellite into orbit aboard a Russian rocket last month marked the beginning of Iran's space program and officials say a second satellite will be launched in about two months, heightening Israeli concerns.(AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian) (Hasan Sarbakhshian - AP)

"Most important, the Europeans, gulf countries and Central Asia should be very much concerned about the ambition of the Iranian regime," he said.

Sneh said Iran's "spy program from space" is part of a "strategy to become a global military power" promoted by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He also underlined Israel's concern over Iran's ballistic missile program, which has developed missiles capable of reaching Israel.

Iran's launch of the Sina-1 from the Plesetsk launch pad in northern Russia was a major step in the country's long-term ambitions.

"That we've joined countries enjoying space technology is a tremendous achievement," said Talebzadeh. "Although Sina-1 has been built by Russia, Iran's technicians have learned a lot about satellite building and space."

He said Iran will launch its domestically built satellite, known as Mesbah, into orbit in a month or two, also from Russia. Iran used Italian technology to build Mesbah, which like Sina-1 is a reconnaissance satellite that Iran says will be used to monitor natural phenomena on its own territory.

"Mesbah is ready for launch now," Talebzadeh said.

Iran's next step will be the launch of a satellite on an indigenous rocket.

Iranian officials have said the country has been developing a Shahab-4 missile that will be used to launch a satellite into space. Iran has already upgraded its Shahab-3 missile, which now has a range of more than 1,240 miles. Authorities have not given details on when the Shahab-4 will be ready.

In January, Iran signed a $132 million deal with a Russian firm to build and launch a telecommunications satellite called Zohreh, or Venus. Its launch is planned within the next two years.

That satellite will facilitate communications in remote parts of Iran, increase the number of land and mobile telephone lines, boost Internet service and improve radio and television coverage.

Iran plans to launch four more satellites by 2010 to increase the number of land and mobile telephone lines to 80 million from 22 million, and Internet users to 35 million from 5.5 million in the next five years.