The “terrorists'” orbit: how Moscow and Tehran strengthen each other under the guise of “civilian space”

On Sunday, Russia launched three Iranian communication satellites into orbit — the second such launch since July. Officially, this is part of a peaceful space program. In reality, it is about enhancing the capabilities of countries that have long acted in sync and support each other in conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East.

The launch was carried out from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. The Russian rocket delivered the devices to an altitude of about 500 kilometers. The satellites were named “Paya,” “Kowsar,” and “Zafar-2.”

The technical details are impressive. “Paya,” weighing about 150 kilograms, became the heaviest Iranian satellite in the history of the program. “Kowsar” weighs approximately 35 kilograms. Data on “Zafar-2” has not been officially disclosed.

The declared capabilities include surface imaging with a resolution of up to three meters and a lifespan of up to five years. In public comments, Tehran speaks of water resource control, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. However, such parameters have long had dual purposes: reconnaissance, targeting, and adjustment of actions on the ground.

This is not a one-time action. For years, Russia has been helping Iran launch satellites by providing rockets, infrastructure, and expertise. In July, the same scheme was used to launch the Iranian communication satellite “Nahid-2.” After the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine, this cooperation became systematic and more explicit.

Western countries directly link the space partnership with military cooperation. Tehran is accused of supplying missiles and drones that Russia uses against Ukrainian cities. Iran denies this, but in January, the parties signed a strategic partnership agreement, confirming the real state of affairs.

A separate line is the Middle East. For decades, Moscow has tried to balance, maintaining working relations with Israel while deepening ties with Iran. Today, this balance is increasingly shifting. Satellite launches are another signal that priorities have been chosen.

The United States and its allies point out that such launches may contradict UN Security Council resolutions, which call on Iran to refrain from activities involving ballistic technologies potentially capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Tehran calls this political pressure and continues the program.

Iran indeed belongs to a narrow circle of countries capable of independently designing and launching satellites. But the key question is not prestige or science. The question is how these technologies are used and against whom.

When one regime provides rockets and another provides targets and combat application, talk of “civilian space” sounds increasingly unconvincing. Terrorists help terrorists — and they do it in orbit, without hiding their strategic calculation. It is important to speak about this openly, especially in the context of Israel’s security and the war in Ukraine. NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency