Hassan Salarieh, Head of the Iranian Space Agency, announced that Iran’s space program is advancing in its infrastructure development, satellite development, and satellite data and imagery services. He detailed plans for new facilities, expanded satellite capabilities, and upgraded launch systems as part of a broader national space strategy.

Iran is expected to inaugurate several new facilities in the coming months, including laboratories, satellite control centers, and the Chabahar launch site in the country’s southeast. The Chabahar Space Launch Base completed its first development phase in 2026 and is slated to conduct its first launch using the Simorgh rocket, though the site remains under construction and lacks critical infrastructure.

As part of its infrastructure expansion, Iran is establishing a nationwide network of satellite control centers to shorten communication times with satellites, streamline in-orbit testing, and extend their operational lifespans. This network supports a growing fleet of observation and communications satellites, including the recently launched Paya satellite, which provides imaging resolution of 5–10 meters in standard mode and sub-3 meters with advanced processing, suitable for agricultural and environmental monitoring.

Major space projects listed by Salarieh include the Nahid 2 and Nahid 3 satellites, the Shahid Soleimani satellite constellation, the Fars 2 and Fars 3 observation satellites, and the development of Iran’s first domestically produced radar satellite. The Shahid Soleimani constellation is designed to consist of 24 satellites—18 operational and 6 backup—to provide narrowband communications and Internet of Things (IoT) services.

Communications satellites being developed by Iranian experts are expected to provide a portion of the country’s communications infrastructure in the future, either directly or in a supporting capacity. Salarieh emphasized the civilian applications of these technologies, stating, "Combining satellite imagery with artificial intelligence is expected to increase the economic value of space data and assist civilian sectors such as agriculture, water resource management, environmental protection, land monitoring, and emergency management."

Iran’s launch vehicle program is also progressing. The Simurgh and Qaem 100 launchers have reached an “acceptable” level of maturity and completed several successful launches. The country is now developing more advanced generations of launch vehicles, with testing expected to begin soon. An upgraded version of the Simurgh launcher, intended to increase payload capacity for low Earth orbit and higher orbits, has been under testing since about 2024 and will continue through 2026.

International cooperation remains a stated priority for Iran’s space program, particularly continued collaboration with China and participation in the Chang’e lunar exploration project. Iran also places importance on exporting space products and services to other countries and on learning from the capabilities of leading nations in the field.

Iran’s space program plan for the coming decade is being adjusted in line with technological advances, after some technologies reached maturity and certain projects required revisions. This recalibration reflects lessons from ongoing missions and infrastructure development, including past satellite launches such as the 2022 deployment of the Khayyam satellite, which was promoted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps through Iran's Aerospace Headquarters.