Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claims to launch 2nd satellite into space

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched a second satellite into space, the country’s state-run news agency reports, just as world powers await Tehran’s decision in negotiations over the country’s tattered nuclear deal.

The IRNA report does not identify where or when the launch took place.

However, it comes as Iran’s top diplomat at the monthslong talks suddenly flew home late Monday for consultations, a sign of the growing pressure on Tehran as the negotiations appear to be nearing their end.

The Guard says the Noor-2 satellite reached a low orbit on the Ghased satellite carrier, IRNA reports.

It describes the Ghased as a three-phase, mixed fuel satellite carrier.

Noor means “light” in Farsi. The Guard launched its first Noor satellite in 2020, revealing to the world it ran its own space program.