Tehran: Iran successfully launched a missile into space on Thursday, state media reported, two days after the US House of Representatives approved a bill that would impose additional sanctions against the country, and Russia and North Korea.
The missile launched on Thursday is known as a Simorgh, or Phoenix, which experts said was a copy of North Korea’s Unha space-launch rocket. Iran’s national news channel said its missile was capable of placing satellites weighing up to 550 pounds into a 310-mile low earth orbit.
Nader Karimi Joni, a journalist close to the government of President Hassan Rouhani of Iran, said the launch on Thursday was a reaction to the House vote on Tuesday approving the new sanctions. The legislation will now go to the Senate, although it is unclear when the measure will be voted on there.
“Iran is boosting its missile capabilities to order to increase the accuracy, preciseness and range,” Joni said. “Iran will not stop the missile projects.”
