Iran launches rocket with heaviest-ever payload into space amid heightened concern over nuclear program

Iran launched its heaviest-ever rocket into space on Friday, carrying a payload of roughly 660 pounds in what security experts fear is an indication that Tehran has developed technology that could also be used for its nuclear program.

The launch of the Simorgh rocket coincided with an announcement by Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, who said Iran has "drastically" increased its enriched uranium stockpiles which are nearing weapons grade purity, first reported Reuters. 

Concern over Iran's nuclear program has remained heightened as tensions with the West continue to escalate over Iran’s direct involvement in two major international conflicts, including its support for terrorist organizations at war with Israel, as well as its aid to Russia amid its brutal invasion of Ukraine. 

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Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and author of the comprehensive report "Arsenal" regarding Iran’s ballistic missile program, explained to Fox News Digital that Iran’s successful rocket launch is not just a win for the nation’s space program. 

This photo released by the official website of the Iranian Defense Ministry on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, shows the launching of Simorgh, or "Phoenix," rocket at Iran's Imam Khomeini Spaceport in rural Semnan province of Iran. (Iranian Defense Ministry via AP)

"The Simorgh is a liquid propellant carrier rocket and represents the Islamic Republic's continued attempts to try to use both its liquid propellant and solid propellant carrier rockets as a bridge to shorten the time needed to produce a longer-range system," he said in reference to Tehran’s pursuit to develop both intermediate range ballistic missile and intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities.

The rocket, launched from Iran's Imam Khomeini Spaceport in the rural Semnan province roughly 130 miles from Tehran, carried an "orbital propulsion system," as well as two research systems that will orbit 250 miles above the Earth, reported AP News. 

The sytem will enable Iran to push satellites into a higher orbiting attitude, according to reports – an ability Iran has apparently long sought.  

However, the rocket also reportedly carried a Fakhr-1 satellite for Iran’s military, which is believed to be the first time an Iranian civilian program has carried a military payload.

"The government of the Islamic Republic has shown that it can walk and chew gum at the same time by advancing both its Iranian space agency led liquid propellant space program, as well as its IRGC aerospace force led solid propellant space program," Ben Taleblu explained. "Both of these space programs have direct military applications."

Iranian missiles exhibited in a park on Jan. 20, 2024 in Tehran, Iran. Iran has been a key player in several overlapping regional conflicts with its recent airstrikes in Iraq, Syria and Pakistan, and its support of Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthi movement in Yemen. (Photo by Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

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Iran has long violated U.N.-mandated bans on its ballistic missile program, which ultimately resulted in the U.S.’ withdrawal from the international Iran Nuclear Agreement in 2018 despite IAEA evidence showing that Tehran at the time was not progressing its nuclear program. 

However, advancements to its space and missile development have long concerned Western nations that such technology increases the threat that Iran could launch a nuclear weapon should it develop one.

The U.S. continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon, as reported by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in a November 2024 report.

The IAEA this year warned that Iran has increased its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium metals of not only 20% purity levels, but 60% – just shy of weapons grade uranium which is enriched to a 90% purity. 

The ODNI assessed last month that given Tehran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium, it is capable of making "more than a dozen" nuclear weapons if its uranium is enriched further. 

This photo released on Nov. 5, 2019, by the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran shows centrifuge machines in the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran. (Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP, File)

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The intelligence agency also noted that Iran uses the threat of possessing a nuclear weapon as negotiation leverage and as a tool to deter international pressure – a tactic it also uses its space program for. 

"The Islamic Republic Space Program provides the regime with the same thing that its nuclear program does, status and security," Ben Taleblu said. "We should be more worried about these launches amid a context of the regime rattling its nuclear saber."