Editorial: Irans Motives

After Iran's reported missile launch earlier this month, they have now come out and said it was for research purposes.

Really?

I suppose researching long range missile technology that could hit Europe is still research. But I think they are trying to imply that it was all pure scientific, peaceful research. Deputy head of Iran's Space Research Center, Ali Akbar Golrousaid the launch “was aimed at improving science and research for university students.''

I think they are taking a page from China's playbook. Perform an action that is obviously provocative and then release in a press conference how it was for the greater good of mankind.

“Investment in space is very serious and requires time, but we are trying to speed this up,'' IRNA quoted Soleimani as saying.

This is probably true and very disturbing. Iran's is a lot like China except without the lucid periods.

Iran hopes to launch four more satellites by 2010, the government has said, to increase the number of land and mobile telephone lines to 80 million from 22 million. It also hopes to expand its satellite capabilities to increase Internet users to 35 million from 5.5 million in the next five years.

I am sure all their satellites are for Internet uses.

Space is becoming a very dangerous place.