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Last update - 18:29 26/11/2008
Amid nuclear tensions, Iran says it successfully launched rocket
By Reuters
Tags: Israel News, Iran, Nuclear 

Iran has successfully launched a rocket called "Kavosh 2", Iran's state media reported on Wednesday, displaying the Islamic state's advances in ballistics at a time when the West is worried about its nuclear ambitions.

The launch follows an announcement earlier this month that Iran had test-fired a new generation of surface-to-surface missile, saying the Islamic Republic was ready to defend itself against any attacker.

Tensions between Iran and Israel have been running high in recent months amid speculation of possible U.S. or Israeli strikes against Tehran's nuclear facilities, which the West suspects form part of a covert weapons program.
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Tehran insists its nuclear work is aimed at generating electricity to meet Iran's booming demand.

State television did not give any further details about "Kavosh 2", which means "Explorer 2", saying details about the home-made rocket will be announced later. "The rocket was launched to register and send correct environmental data and [to test] separation of the engine from the body," state radio said.

The long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into space can also be used for launching weapons.

Iran caused international concern in February by testing a domestically made Explorer 1 rocket as part of its satellite program. Tehran said it needed two more similar tests before putting a domestically made satellite into orbit.

The United States, the Islamic Republic's arch foe, called the February rocket test "unfortunate" and said it would only further isolate Tehran from the international community.

On Aug. 17, Iran said it had put a dummy satellite into orbit on a domestically made rocket for the first time. U.S. officials said the attempted launch was a failure.

Western experts say Iran rarely gives enough details for them to determine the extent of its technological advances, and much Iranian technology consists of modifications of equipment supplied by China, North Korea and others.

Iran: We have 5,000 uranium enrichment centrifuges

Iran now has 5,000 working uranium enrichment centrifuges, a senior official was quoted as saying on Wednesday, signalling a further expansion of work the West fears is aimed at making nuclear bombs.

"Now we have 5,000 running centrifuges," Gholamreza Aghazadeh, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, told the official IRNA news agency. "Suspension of nuclear enrichment is not in our vocabulary." Iran has consistently said its nuclear programme is aimed at generating power.

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      1.   couldn`t they deliver the one A-bomb they have then? 14:38  |  Avi 26/11/08
      2.   Iran says it successfully launches rocket 16:58  |  Scott L. Havsy 26/11/08
      3.   Congrats 17:43  |  David 26/11/08
      4.   Iran says it successfully launched rocket 19:25  |  Samk 26/11/08
      5.   Don`t worry. Be happy. 20:40  |  Jasper 26/11/08
      6.   I RAN and ISRAEL 20:55  |  Neutered Observer 26/11/08
      7.   I`ll wait for Aviation Week 21:41  |  Mark Lincoln 26/11/08
      8.   Jolly good show..Fiddler Scientists. 21:43  |  Stephen. 26/11/08
      9.   Avi, Iran has no atomic bomb 22:46  |  Mark Lincoln 26/11/08
      10.   Neutered Observer 23:02  |  Mark Lincoln 26/11/08
      11.   Dear Mark 00:43  |  Neutered Observer 27/11/08
      12.   #1 Avi 20:23  |  john 27/11/08
      13.   Israel has launched rockets why shouldn t Iran do so? 02:47  |  American in NY 28/11/08
      14.   Mark Lincoln 02:56  |  American in NY 28/11/08
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