<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Iran today dismissed three European countries’ condemnation of its launch of the Soraya satellite, saying peaceful technological advancement in the aerospace field was the country’s legitimate right.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>France, Germany, and the UK yesterday condemned the launch of the Soraya last week using the Ghaem-100 Space Launch Vehicle (SLV).</div><div><br></div><div>The SLV uses technology essential for the development of a long-range ballistic missile system, which could also allow Tehran to launch longer-range weapons, the countries said in a joint statement.</div><div><br></div><div>“Such interventionist statements,” said foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani in a post on X, “will not make a dent in Iran’s determination to advance in science and technology.”</div><div><br></div><div>Iran, he said, “considers the use of peaceful technologies” as its given right.</div><div><br></div><div>Last week, the Soraya satellite, which is being developed by the research arm of the civilian Iranian Space Agency, was put into a 750km orbit, the highest successfully reached by Iran, according to Iranian media.</div><div><br></div><div>The 50km satellite was launched by the Ghaem-100, a three-stage solid-fuel rocket built by the elite military Revolutionary Guards, they said.</div><div><br></div><div>Tehran denies US assertions that such activity is a cover for ballistic missile development and says it has never pursued the development of nuclear weapons.</div><div><br></div><div>Iran, which has one of the biggest missile programmes in the Middle East, has suffered several failed satellite launches in recent years due to technical issues. - Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>