US Sanctions Iran Space Agency

The Trump administration levied a round of sanctions against the Iranian Space Agency on Sept. 3, accusing Tehran of using their space agency to further their missile program.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted, “For the 1st time, the US has sanctioned Iran’s civilian space agency, which develops the same space launch vehicle technology used in ballistic missiles. We call on our allies to join us in deterring the world’s top sponsor of terrorism from growing its ballistic missile program.”

For the 1st time, the US has sanctioned Iran’s civilian space agency, which develops the same space launch vehicle technology used in ballistic missiles. We call on our allies to join us in deterring the world’s top sponsor of terrorism from growing its ballistic missile program.

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) September 3, 2019

Pompeo also said in a separate statement that “Iran’s August 29 attempt to launch a space launch vehicle” was evidence of Tehran using their space agency to advance its missile program. “These designations should serve as a warning to the international scientific community that collaborating with Iran’s space program could contribute to Tehran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon delivery system,” Pompeo said.

According to the State Department, the space launch vehicle technology is “virtually identical and interchangeable with those used in ballistic missiles,” thus allowing Iran “to gain experience with various technologies necessary for development of” such weaponry.

The Aug. 29 incident involved an explosion occurring at Imam Khomeini Space Center in northern Iran during a failed satellite launch; Iran said this was due to a technical error. Iran had two other failed satellite launches in January and February. The Iranian government claims they’re just trying to put satellites into space as part of their civilian space program. 

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sept. 3 that Iran will not hold bilateral negotiations with the U.S. until all sanctions are lifted; he also threatened to ramp up Iran’s uranium production to 20 percent enrichment on Sept. 5 if the regime doesn’t receive some sort of economic relief from the Trump administration’s sanctions. France has reportedly offered to provide Iran with $15 billion in such aid.