Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Saeed Khatibzadeh

Iran's Foreign Ministry commented on US and European criticism of Iran's launch of a satellite carrier rocket to space.

“No resolution prevents the Islamic Republic of Iran from continuing its space program and the related experiments, including in the field of satellites-carriers, thus, citing UNSC Resolution 2231 is purely fallacious and fundamentally untrue,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh on Friday.

Iran has the right to use peaceful technologies in its scientific research development according to international standards, and will not await the opinions of some countries that seek to impose their dictates, he continued.

Iran, Khatibzadeh added, its government and its people, appreciate the peaceful scientific and technological innovations of its scientists and elite in the aerospace industry, which were all accomplished under unjust and illegal sanctions.

Thursday's space launch

Iranian Defense Ministry spokesperson, Ahmad Hosseini, was quoted by state television on Thursday as saying, "The Simorgh satellite launcher carried three research cargos into space," adding that the research goals foreseen for the launch "have been achieved."

Hosseini did not elaborate on the nature of the research, although Iran announced a successful test of its most powerful solid fuel satellite launcher, the Zoljanah, in February.

The Zoljanah could deliver a 500-kilogram payload into the orbit, according to the announcement in February.

Later on Thursday, the US State Department said Washington “remains concerned with Iran’s development of space launch vehicles.” It also claimed that such satellite launches would violate a UN Security Council resolution, calling on the Islamic Republic to steer clear of any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warhead. Its statement prompted the Iranian Foreign Ministry's response yesterday.