Iran's Simorgh satellite carrier under construction, planned to be launched soon.

Iran's Simorgh satellite carrier under construction, planned to be launched soon.(Taz).

Iran's home-made satellite carrier Simorgh is under construction, deputy head of Iran Space Agency (ISA), Hamid Fazeli said, IRNA news agency reported.

He went on to note that, Simorgh is the main Iranian satellite carrier project and will be launched next solar year (will be started on March 21, 2014).

Iranian Zafar, Tolou, Autsat and Amirkabir satellites scheduled to be carried by Simorgh, Fazeli said.
Simorgh is an Iranian expendable small-capacity orbital carrier rocket, which has a length of 27 metres, and weight of 85 tons.

Its first stage is powered by four main engines, each generating up to 29,000 kilograms (64,000 lb) of thrust, plus a fifth which will be used for attitude control, which provides an additional 13,600 kilograms (30,000 lb).

Simorgh is capable of putting a 60-kilogram (130 lb) payload into a 500-kilometre (310 mi) low Earth orbit.
According to the ISNA news agency, the engine could be used in future rockets capable of carrying 700-kilogram (1,500 lb) satellites into 1,000-kilometre (620 mi) orbits.

Earli in October, Fazeli said that Iran plans to launch three indigenously designed and manufactured satellites into orbit in six months.Hmmmm.....Can you spell....ICBM?

Related: 

IRGC Denies ballistic missile range

Israel's "Staunchest Ally" mulls letting Iran keep uranium enrichment facilities in nuclear deal.

Israel's "Staunchest Ally" mulls letting Iran keep uranium enrichment facilities in nuclear deal.(Jpost).

US President Barack Obama is considering the possibility of allowing Iran to keep uranium enrichment facilities on its soil, presumably for peaceful purposes, as part of a deal with Tehran over its disputed nuclear program, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

The report came as talks between Iran and world powers on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program were set to resume in Geneva on Tuesday morning.

Both Israel and Saudi Arabia oppose allowing Iran to enrich uranium on its soil, fearing that it would be used to produce nuclear weapons.

The Wall Street Journal quoted a senior US official as saying that Washington was willing to talk to Iran "about what President Obama said in his address at the UN General Assembly, and that is that he respects the rights of the Iranian people to access a peaceful nuclear program." The official stated that what this entails is exactly the matter that is up for discussion.

A bipartisan group of US senators wrote to Obama on Monday, saying that if Iran first suspends all uranium enrichment, the US Senate will then agree to suspend its work on new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The 10 signatories, among the most influential members on foreign policy in the upper chamber, proposed the “suspension for suspension” offer just as the P5+1 – the US, Russia, the UK, France, China and Germany were set to sit down for talks with Iran for the first time since the election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

“The onus is on the Iranians to fulfill and implement a host of action items to include enrichment suspension, and in return, the senators are ‘willing to match,’” one congressional aide familiar with the letter told The Jerusalem Post. “But enrichment suspension remains paramount and [a] US military threat remains on the table.”Hmmm....."By Peace He will Deceive Many".Read the full story here.

IRGC Denies ballistic missile range

IRGC clarifies ballistic missile range.(UOI).

According to FARS News Agency:

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in a statement on Saturday rejected media reports claiming that Iran has developed missiles which could reach targets 12,000 km in distance, stressing that the maximum range of Iran's missiles is 2,000 km.

"Some media have made a mistake when quoting a part of the remarks of the IRGC Aerospace Force Commander (Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh) about IRGC's missiles and said their range is 12000 kilometers," the statement issued by the IRGC's Public Relations said on Saturday.

"Actually, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh has pointed to the IRGC Aerospace Force's defensive capabilities, and said 'at present, the range of our long-range missiles is 2,000km and the reason is that our enemies are within this range ... and they are not much worth to be targetted by costly missiles'," continued the statement.

This writer could not find the Western media report specifically citing a 12,000 km range, however the Iranians might generally be referring to ICBM ranges capable of hitting the United States. This potential capability is based upon speculation as to the ultimate intentions of Simorgh and Sepehr IRILV projects.*

This isn't the first time the Iranians have denied development of an ICBM; they did so also during the previous administration.

The Fars article identified three IRGC-ASF ballistic missiles with a range of 2000 km: Shahab-3, Ghadr-F and Sejjil-1/2, the latter cited as a "third generation" MRBM of slightly longer range.

*Hmmm.......TEHRAN, 2013, Jan. 31 -- The President of Iran Space Agency (ISA) says Iran will launch Nahid, Qaem, and Fajr satellites on February 2nd 2013, the anniversary of Iran’s National Space Technology Day. In a press conference, Hamid Fazeli, ISA president pointed to plans by Iran Space Agency for National Space Technology Day and said; “The President will inaugurate Iranian achievements in space, science and technology on National Space Technology Day.” He announced the launching of Nahid satellite during days of Fajr ceremonies and added: “Launching Engineering samples of Qaem, and Fajr satellites projects have been planned by the end of the next week.”

Fazeli answered Mehr News reporter’s question on launching SharifSat satellite by the end of the current Iranian New year (21th of March), saying that “SharifSat, manufactured by students in Sharif University of Technology will be launched, in addition to AUTSat, by Amir Kabir University of Technology and Zafar satellite into space by Simorgh rocket launcher, and will be operational by early June.” Fazeli asserted that “Toloo satellite will also be launched into space by Simorgh rocket launcher in the near future.”

TEHRAN, 2013, Februray 02 -- The President of Iran’s Space Agency (ISA) says Iranian Nahid satellite will be unveiled in February, 2nd 2013, Iran’s National Space Technology Day. The ISA would launch Nahid by Safir-1B rocket launcher to space. Fazeli pointed to Nahid’s main feature as being imaging. “Nahid is the only satellite with folding solar panels,” he added. “All Iranian made satellites had panels fixed on themselves. Nahid’s panels provide folding capability,” he asserted. He maintained that technology used in Nahid was unique, and that Nahid would have a perigee of 250 km, and an apogee of 370 km.

TEHRAN, 2013, February 28 -- Chancellor of Iran's Amirkabir University Alireza Rahayee announced Tehran is preparing to put a new home-made satellite, called Nahid , into orbit in the next four months. He said that Nahid is among those satellites which need more modern launchers, and Simorgh satellite launch platform is now being prepared to this end. He added that Nahid will be sent to the space on the back of Safir-B carrier (not clear: Safir-1B or Simorgh).

No Rouhani-Obama meeting planned at UN: Iran MP.

Rouhani and 'Israel's staunchest ally'

No Rouhani-Obama meeting planned at UN: Iran MP.(Presstv)

A top Iranian lawmaker says President Hassan Rouhani and US president Barack Obama, have no plan to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session next week.

Chairman of Iran Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Tuesday that the US push for direct talks with Iran does not comply with its continued hostility toward the Islamic Republic.

“The Americans and Obama in particular are eager to engage in talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and are trying to seize any chance in order to achieve this objective,” he added.

The lawmaker stated that Obama’s message to the Iranian people on the occasion of the Persian New Year in March and his congratulatory message to Rouhani on his election win are two clear examples of US attempts to reestablish ties with Iran.
He further noted that the main problem between Tehran and Washington lies in the untrustworthiness of US officials.
“Hostile policies adopted by US officials towards the Islamic Republic of Iran, [including] repeated threats, US sanctions, inciting Europe to impose sanctions and contribute to the adoption of anti-Iran resolutions by the UN Security Council are only some American policies which prove that the US administration can by no means be trusted,” Boroujerdi said.
The Iranian legislator stressed that the US strong desire for direct talks with Iran will not be satisfied as long as Washington continues its animosity towards Tehran, advising US politicians to change their approach towards the Islamic Republic.
British newspaper The Guardian reported on Sunday that an exchange of letters between Obama and Rouhani “has set the stage for a possible meeting.”

President Obama in an interview with ABC on Sunday said he had contacted his Iranian counterpart via letters.

Is Obama The Precursor to The Mahdi, According to Shia Tradition?

Is Obama The Precursor to The Mahdi, According to Shia Tradition?HT: InfidelBloggers.

Here's something I missed, from Amir Taheri in Forbes Magazine, October, 2008:

Is Barack Obama the “promised warrior” coming to help the Hidden Imam of Shiite Muslims conquer the world?

The question has made the rounds in Iran since last month, when a pro-government Web site published a Hadith (or tradition) from a Shiite text of the 17th century. The tradition comes from Bahar al-Anvar (meaning Oceans of Light) by Mullah Majlisi, a magnum opus in 132 volumes and the basis of modern Shiite Islam.

According to the tradition, Imam Ali Ibn Abi-Talib (the prophet’s cousin and son-in-law) prophesied that at the End of Times and just before the return of the Mahdi, the Ultimate Saviour, a “tall black man will assume the reins of government in the West.” Commanding “the strongest army on earth,” the new ruler in the West will carry “a clear sign” from the third imam, whose name was Hussein Ibn Ali. The tradition concludes: “Shiites should have no doubt that he is with us.”

In a curious coincidence Obama’s first and second names–Barack Hussein–mean “the blessing of Hussein” in Arabic and Persian. His family name, Obama, written in the Persian alphabet, reads O Ba Ma, which means “he is with us,” the magic formula in Majlisi’s tradition.


Hmmm.........Unknown to them, they are heading for eternal judgment, they think they are coming to make war against God, but they are being gathered for judgment. ~ Isaiah 13:6-8.