Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said on Wednesday that another domestic satellite will be launched into the space in near future, the Mehr news agency reported.
“From the two satellites that President Rouhani referred [to] earlier, one has been launched and the other one will soon be sent into orbit,” Hatami said.
His comments follow Iran’s failed attempt last week to launch a satellite. Iran’s Telecommunications Minister, Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, said on Tuesday morning that the Islamic Republic launched a satellite into space but that it failed to reach orbit.
The Minister explained that the rocket carrying the satellite failed to reach the “necessary speed” required to go into orbit, but promised that scientists would continue their work on the technology.
Touching upon the failed attempt, Hatami said on Wednesday that “the technical problem is clear to us.”
He expressed hope that the technical problem would be solved as soon as possible and the next satellite would be launched into orbit with success.
Last week’s launch came despite US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s warning to Iran to cease its efforts to develop ballistic missiles. Pompeo demanded that Iran drop its plans for a space launch, saying such actions would defy UN Security Council Resolution 2231.
UN Security Council resolution 2231, which the US says Iran violates with its ballistic missile tests, enshrined Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.
The resolution says Iran is “called upon” to refrain for up to eight years from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons.
Iran, however, denies its ballistic missile tests violate this resolution. President Hassan Rouhani has stressed in the past that Iran will continue to produce missiles for its defense and does not consider that a violation of international agreements.
Rouhani stated last week that Iran will be ready for a new satellite launch in a few months' time.