TEHRAN, Feb 25: Iran said on Sunday it had successfully launched its first rocket into space, at a time of mounting tension with the West over its nuclear programme.

“The first space rocket has been successfully launched into space,” a state television anchor announced, without disclosing its range or the date of the launch.“The rocket was carrying material intended for research created by the ministries of science and defence,” Mohsen Bahrami, the head of Iran’s aerospace research centre, told state television.

He did not give further details on the nature of the cargo. State television has yet to broadcast pictures of the launch.

Iran’s claim of success in launching a space rocket appears to be the first major step towards its stated ambition of putting homemade satellites into space on the back of Iranian-made rockets.

Iran has for the past years been pressing ahead with a nascent space programme, which has already seen an Iranian Russian-made satellite put into orbit by a Russian rocket in October 2005.

Officials were quick to emphasise that the rocket had been manufactured using Iran’s own resources, echoing similar statements about its nuclear programme.

“All the tests (leading up to the launch) have been carried out in the country’s industrial facilities in line with international regulations,” said Mr Bahrami.

“The manufacture of the rocket and the cargo was achieved by experts at the centre of aerospace research and the engineering centre at the ministry of agricultural planning,” he added.

—AFP