Tehran: Iran's space industry has remained operational despite damage to some facilities during the recent US-Israeli war, with satellite communications and remote-sensing services continuing and several domestic projects advancing, Iran's space agency chief has said. Hassan Salarieh, head of the Iranian Space Agency, said Iran's distributed space infrastructure and domestic expertise have helped the sector remain resilient despite damage to individual facilities.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, both communications and remote-sensing satellites remained operational during the conflict imposed by the US and the Israeli regime, while damaged ground infrastructure could be rapidly replaced to maintain services. Salarieh noted that companies, universities, and knowledge-based firms across Iran are involved in developing satellites, subsystems, and related technologies, reducing reliance on government facilities.

He highlighted several milestones achieved during the current administration, including progress on the first phase of the Chabahar spaceport, the completion of satellite ground stations and control centers, and successful launches involving the Qaem 100 and Simorgh launch vehicles. The official also pointed to the growing role of the private sector. The Kowsar satellite became the first privately built Iranian satellite to reach orbit in November 2024, while the Kowsar 1.5 followed in December 2025.

Other significant space projects cited by Salarieh included the Nahid-2 communications satellite, the Paya imaging satellite, and the 24-satellite Shahid Soleimani constellation. Iran is also developing the Pars-2 satellite, with an imaging resolution of about 2.5 meters, alongside additional Pars, Nahid, Saman, and Rad satellite projects, he added.

Salarieh said the government was increasingly focused on turning space capabilities into practical services. Satellite data are being used for agriculture, water-resource management, environmental monitoring, disaster assessment, and updating geographic information. Satellite communications also support critical facilities and provide connectivity to remote areas where terrestrial infrastructure is difficult to establish.

He said the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology plans to further expand satellite-based services, adding that several new space projects and achievements are expected to be unveiled in the near future.