Russia Launches Three Iranian Satellites into Orbit

Russia has successfully launched three Iranian communications satellites into orbit, marking the second joint launch between the two nations this year.

The satellites—named Paya, Kowsar, and Zafar-2—were carried by a Russian rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in eastern Russia on Sunday into a roughly 500-kilometer (310-mile) orbit around Earth.

Paya, the largest of the three, weighs about 150 kilograms (330 pounds), while Kowsar weighs 35 kilograms (77 pounds). The weight of Zafar-2 has not been disclosed. All three satellites are designed to capture images with up to three-meter resolution, useful for monitoring water resources, agriculture, and environmental conditions. Their operational lifespan is expected to be up to five years.

The launch highlights growing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, following an earlier launch in July of Iran’s Nahid-2 communications satellite with Russian assistance. The two countries signed a strategic partnership agreement in January, amid ongoing regional tensions.

Iran has long pursued satellite development, periodically deploying space vehicles to expand its communications and monitoring capabilities. The United States has criticized Iran’s satellite launches, claiming they could violate UN Security Council resolutions, though related sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile program expired in 2023.