Iran successfully launches satellite into space

Iran successfully launched its Rassad-1 satellite into space on Wednesday, the country's Arabic-language television channel Al-Alam said.

"It was launched by the Safir rocket and put into orbit 260 kilometres (163 miles) above the Earth," the television said. "It is capable of photographing the Earth."

The report said Rassad-1 (Observation-1) can revolve 15 times around the Earth every 24 hours, and that it has a two-month life cycle.

Iran, which has outlined an ambitious space programme in the face of Western concerns, put a satellite into orbit in 2009 and sent small animals into space in 2010.

Western powers fear that Tehran could develop a missile capability under cover of its space programme which could be used to deliver nuclear warheads.

Iran denies it has any ambition to develop an atomic bomb and insists both its space and nuclear programmes are entirely peaceful.