Teheran sends animals into space
TEHERAN: Iran said yesterday it had launched a domestically made satellite-carrier rocket carrying live animals - a move that may increase Western concern that Teheran is trying to build a nuclear bomb.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday that Iran was ready to send its enriched uranium abroad in what seemed to be an easing of its opposition to a UN-brokered deal in December.
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said late yesterday that Iran must make real concessions over its nuclear program and not just talk about it.
"If that doesn't happen and it's all just tactics, the international community will agree on further measures. Then sanctions cannot be ruled out," he told German television.
Yesterday, Ahmadinejad said the satellite launch was a huge breakthrough which help break "the global domineering system" - a reference to the West.
The Islamic Republic hoped to send astronauts into space soon, he said, speaking at a ceremony unveiling new satellite and space technology.
Western nations fear Iran is seeking to build nuclear bombs and are concerned that the long-range ballistic technology can also be used to launch warheads. Iran says it has no plans to do so.
Iran says its nuclear program is solely to generate electricity.
Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday Iran was ready to send its enriched uranium abroad in exchange for nuclear fuel. The US said that if Iran was serious it should tell the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said yesterday the Kremlin would welcome an Iranian decision on the enrichment offer.
Analysts believe Ahmadinejad has been in favor of the deal because he wanted to gain some legitimacy following disputed presidential elections that triggered anti-government protests, they said.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last week that foreign governments were moving toward consensus on imposing new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. But China has repeatedly said now is the time for diplomacy not sanctions.
Mark Fitzpatrick at London's International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the launch was "not particularly more significant than the last one or the next one".
"They contribute to Iran's ballistic missile capabilities, but do not foretell an ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) capability or anything else capable of threatening Western Europe or the US homeland," Fitzpatrick said.
"The more significant missile development is the testing of the solid-fueled Sejil missile."
One year ago, Iran launched a domestically made satellite into orbit for the first time. The Omid satellite was for peaceful telecommunications and research purposes, it said.
In December, Iran said it test-fired a long-range, upgraded Sejil 2 missile.
Reuters
(China Daily 02/04/2010 page11)
