The United States imposed sanctions on Iran’s civilian space agency and two research organizations yesterday, saying they were being used to advance Tehran’s ballistic missile program.
The U.S. Treasury sanctions targeted the Iran Space Agency, Iran Space Research Center and the Astronautics Research Institute, according to a statement on its website.
"The United States will not allow Iran to use its space launch program as cover to advance its ballistic missile programs," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.
According to him, Iran’s Aug. 29 attempt to test a space launch vehicle underscored "the urgency of the threat," Reuters reported.
An Iranian rocket exploded on its launch pad at Imam Khomeini Space Center in northern Iran before its scheduled launch last Thursday. The explosion followed Iran’s failed attempt to launch a satellite in January.
U.S. sanctions Iran's space program
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