Iran announced the launch of a solid-fuel rocket for putting satellites into orbit, with state media showing dramatic footage of the blast-off at an undisclosed location.
Sunday's launch was quickly criticised by the US as "unhelpful and destabilising", coming a day after a senior EU diplomat announced the imminent resumption of talks to revive the Iran nuclear deal, which collapsed when the US pulled out in 2018.
Washington considers such launches part of Tehran's continuing missile development, one of the reasons cited by former US president Donald Trump for withdrawing from the nuclear pact.
Ahmad Hosseini, spokesman for Iran’s Defence Ministry, said the 25.5 metre-long rocket, named Zuljanah, was capable of carrying a satellite of 220 kilograms that would gather data in low-Earth orbit and promote the country's space industry.
Zuljanah was the name of the horse of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.
Iran did not reveal the launch site but satellite photos earlier this month showed preparations being made at the Imam Khomeini Spaceport in the northern Semnan province, the site of several failed attempts to put a satellite into orbit.
Commenting on the photos, a Pentagon spokesman said the US military “will continue to closely monitor Iran’s pursuit of viable space launch technology and how it may relate to advancements in its overall ballistic missile programme”.
“Iranian aggression, to include the demonstrated threat posed by its various missile programmes, continues to be a top concern for our forces in the region,” Maj Rob Lodewick said.
The launch comes just a day after the EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, met Iranian officials in Tehran in an attempt to restart negotiations over the nuclear deal, which placed limits on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.
Mr Borrell said on Saturday that the talks would resume in an unidentified Gulf country in coming days. A sticking point remains Washington's terrorist designation for Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Tehran responded to the US withdrawal from the 2015 pact by speeding up its nuclear enrichment programme to reach levels close to weapons-grade purity.
The US says the rocket launches defy a UN Security Council resolution calling on Iran to steer clear of any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.
Iran, which insists it does not seek nuclear weapons, says its satellite launches and rocket tests do not have a military component.
The US intelligence community’s 2022 threat assessment, published in March, said Iran's development of satellite launch vehicles “shortens the timeline” to an intercontinental ballistic missile because it uses similar technologies.
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MATCH INFO
Mainz 0
RB Leipzig 5 (Werner 11', 48', 75', Poulsen 23', Sabitzer 36')
Man of the Match: Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
IF YOU GO
The flights
FlyDubai flies direct from Dubai to Skopje in five hours from Dh1,314 return including taxes. Hourly buses from Skopje to Ohrid take three hours.
The tours
English-speaking guided tours of Ohrid town and the surrounding area are organised by Cultura 365; these cost €90 (Dh386) for a one-day trip including driver and guide and €100 a day (Dh429) for two people.
The hotels
Villa St Sofija in the old town of Ohrid, twin room from $54 (Dh198) a night.
St Naum Monastery, on the lake 30km south of Ohrid town, has updated its pilgrims' quarters into a modern 3-star hotel, with rooms overlooking the monastery courtyard and lake. Double room from $60 (Dh 220) a night.
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The specs: 2019 Infiniti QX50
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 268hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy: 6.7L / 100km (estimate)
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
