Iran considers space exploration

Despite the US sanctions, Iran plans to send its first astronaut into space with the help of other countries, Iranian Information and Communication Technology Minister Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi said today, the Iranian news agency Mehr reports.

"We must send the Iranian astronaut into space, we will do this in cooperation with other countries," Jahromi said, RIA Novosti quotes him as saying.

The United States imposed sanctions against three large space departments, but the sanctions will not succeed in stopping Iranian scientists, Jahromi expressed confidence.