Russian rocket launches Iranian satellites as Moscow, Tehran expand ties

A Russian rocket on Tuesday blasted off successfully to carry a pair of Iranian satellites into orbit, a launch that reflected growing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.

The Soyuz rocket lifted off as scheduled from Vostochny launchpad in far eastern Russia and put its payload into a designated orbit nine minutes after the launch. It was carrying two Russian Ionosphere-M Earth observation satellites and several dozen smaller satellites, including the two Iranian ones.

Iran's two satellites, named Kowsar and Hodhod, were the first launched on behalf of the country's private sector. In 2022, a Russian rocket launched an Iranian Earth observation satellite that was built in Russia on Tehran's order.

Tuesday's launch comes as Russia and Iran have expanded ties in various spheres. Ukraine and the West have accused Tehran of providing Moscow with hundreds of exploding drones for use on the battlefield in Ukraine and helped launch their production in Russia.

The Iranian drone deliveries, which Moscow and Tehran have denied, have allowed for a constant barrage of long-range drone strikes at Ukraine's infrastructure.

Moscow and Tehran are planning to further bolster their ties with a comprehensive strategic partnership that is set to be signed during Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's planned visit to Russia. The date for that visit hasn't been set yet, but the Kremlin said it could happen soon.

Tuesday's successful launch of the Iranian satellites atop a Russian rocket follows a series of failed launches suffered by Iran's civilian space programme in recent years. There have been five failed launches in a row for the Simorgh programme, a satellite-carrying rocket.