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the picture shows iran's soar-100 rocket. according to western imagination, the rocket has the potential to be transformed into a long-range missile.

according to a report on the us newsweek website on september 14, iran launched a satellite into space using a rocket made by the revolutionary guard on the 14th. the launch attracted attention from the west because the west was worried that the technology used could accelerate iran's ballistic missile development process.

newsweek cited the iranian news agency tasnim as saying the soar-100 rocket was a solid-fuel three-stage rocket that placed the 132-pound (60-kilogram) chamran-1 satellite into orbit 340 miles (547 kilometers) above earth. according to an analysis of video and other images by the associated press, iranian media reports of the launch showed the rocket was launched from a mobile platform near the city of shahrud, about 215 miles east of the capital, tehran.

iran called the launch a success. it was the second time a sovereign-100 rocket had put a satellite into orbit, following a launch earlier this year.

newsweek reported that the launch came as tensions in the middle east intensified over israel's ongoing strikes on the gaza strip, raising concerns about a regional conflict as iran-linked groups in yemen, syria, iraq and lebanon launched attacks on u.s. and israeli interests.

according to iranian media reports, the launch was the result of a joint effort between the space department of the iran electronic industries corporation, the iranian aerospace research institute and the domestic company that built the satellite, and its purpose was to "test hardware and software systems for orbital maneuvering technology verification."

however, qatar's al jazeera reported that the united states and other western countries had previously warned iran not to carry out such launches, saying the same technology could be used for ballistic missiles.

while iran claims its space program is for civilian purposes, experts say the technology could shorten the time it takes iran to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile, which could potentially carry a nuclear weapon.

the u.s. intelligence community and the international atomic energy agency have warned that iran has enough enriched uranium to build several nuclear weapons if it chose to do so.

while u.s. officials have not yet responded to iran's launch on the 14th, they have long expressed concerns about iran's satellite launch activities, believing that these activities violate u.n. security council resolutions. they have called on iran not to engage in any activities involving ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

according to al jazeera, the un security council's restrictive measures on iran's ballistic missiles expired in october last year.

tehran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons. previously, iran's space program slowed down under former president hassan rouhani because he was worried about angering the west. but it has gained momentum under the strong leadership of president ebrahim raisi, who died in a helicopter crash earlier this year. while raisi's death has brought some uncertainty to the direction of iran's space ambitions, continued launch activity shows that iran remains committed to improving its technological and military capabilities.