France Condemns Iran's Satellite Launch

France condemned Iran's launch of a satellite-carrying rocket on Wednesday, January 16, and urged Tehran to refrain from any ballistic missile tests that violate United Nations resolutions. Agnes von der Muehle, spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry, stated: "Iran's ballistic missile program is a source of concern for the international community and France." Iranian officials announced on Tuesday that Iranian scientists launched a rocket carrying the satellite "Payam" into space, but the rocket did not reach sufficient speed, and the satellite ultimately failed to enter orbit. Meanwhile, France, which has repeatedly called for the cessation of Iran's missile programs, stated that Iran used long-range missile technology in the satellite launch process, and these missiles have the capability to carry nuclear warheads. Agnes von der Muehle added, "We urge Iran to stop its new ballistic missile tests designed to carry nuclear warheads, including satellite launches, and we call on the country to comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions." Tehran has previously emphasized that its ballistic missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads and therefore testing these missiles does not constitute a violation of UN resolutions. Meanwhile, the United States is concerned that Tehran's development of satellite launch technology could lead to the construction of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reacted to the unsuccessful launch of the "Payam" satellite on Wednesday, calling it a "minor failure" and stating that the Islamic Republic is ready to launch a new satellite into space within the coming months. According to other Iranian officials, this satellite is named "Doosti." The head of Amir Kabir University, where the "Payam" satellite was designed and built, stated that the remains of this satellite fell into the Indian Ocean. Ahmad Motamedi, in an interview with Mehr News Agency, attributed the failure to place the satellite in a 500-kilometer orbit to "issues with the launch method," saying: "The launcher had problems calculating the initial speed that needed to be given to the satellite, and it might even be related to the fuel." However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes that the discussion of launching a satellite into space is a "lie" that Iran is using to conduct "intercontinental missile tests" against all agreements. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also stated that this test shows Iran is seeking missile capabilities that threaten Europe and the Middle East. The Trump administration withdrew from the nuclear agreement with Iran in May and announced that it seeks a new agreement with Tehran that includes Iran's missile program. Iranian officials, especially Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, have rejected any negotiations with the U.S. government.