Netanyahu: Iran is Lying; The Purpose of the Satellite Launch was to Test a Ballistic Missile

Hours after the news of Iran's failure to launch a satellite, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Iran is "lying" about its plan to send a scientific satellite into space, claiming that the true aim of its new satellite projects is nothing but a "test of the first stage of an intercontinental missile, contrary to all agreements." According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Netanyahu made these remarks on Tuesday, January 15, during the inauguration ceremony of the new Chief of Staff of the Israeli army at the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv. The Israeli official's reference to "contrary to agreements" may relate to UN Resolution 2231, which was issued in support of the nuclear deal known as the JCPOA. This point was also mentioned earlier by the U.S. Secretary of State. Just hours earlier, the Islamic Republic had launched a satellite named "Payam," built by Amir Kabir University, into space using an Iranian-made rocket. However, according to Mohammad Azari Jahromi, Iran's Minister of Communications, the satellite failed to reach orbit after launch. Jahromi, who was present at the launch site in Semnan province, tweeted that two stages of the satellite launch were successful, but in the third and final stage, the rocket did not reach "sufficient speed and 'Payam' did not settle into orbit." The Iranian Minister of Communications emphasized that this scientific program will continue, and more satellites will be built and sent into space. However, Netanyahu stated in his remarks in Tel Aviv that the claim of placing the satellite into orbit was the "superficial" and "naive" aspect of Iran's action, asserting that Tehran's real goal is to improve its intercontinental missile firing capability. The Israeli Prime Minister claimed that Iran "constantly lies" and that Israel "exposes Iran's lies," noting that it was in this context that Israel "revealed Iran's secret nuclear archive." He added that Iran's claim today regarding the satellite is also a "lie." During the inauguration of the new Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, Netanyahu stated: "Iran and its terrorist arms are our primary target... and we will achieve our goals with audacity and initiative." The Israeli Prime Minister also referred to statements made by Bahram Qasemi, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, on Monday, who said that Iran has an "advisory presence" in Syria at the invitation of the legitimate Syrian government, stating: "I recommend that Iran leave Syria quickly, as we will continue our attack policy, which we have previously promised." Netanyahu confirmed earlier this week that his country carried out an attack on the Damascus airport, the capital of Syria, last Friday night to "destroy Iranian weapons warehouses," and that hundreds of similar attacks have been carried out by Israel in recent months. According to Israeli media, General Aviv Kochavi, in his first speech as the Chief of Staff of the armed forces, stated that the Israeli army under his command will focus on "increasing deadly destructive capabilities to strike the enemy."