"After testing the rocket, [Teheran] announced that it will take some
time for Iran to put a satellite into orbit with this rocket," Hassan-Yari
said. "It means that Iran still doesn't have the technology used by Western
countries."
Hassan-Yari compared Iran's announcements of its SLV test to those of
the nation's nuclear program. He said Teheran has intentionally exaggerated
its capabilities in an effort to intimidate the West.
"In the past, similar words were said about Iran's nuclear
capabilities," Hassan-Yari said.
The analysts said Iran has encountered significant difficulties in
developing both an operational SLV as well as a satellite. They said the SLV
flight failed after the first stage when the rocket veered wildly
off-course.
The Institute for National Security Studies said Safir-1 did not
resemble Iran's Shihab-3 intermediate-range ballistic missile. The report,
authored by Israeli strategist Yiftah Shapir, said the SLV was longer and
did not contain the bottle-shaped cone of the Shihab.
"Even though Iran has for years openly declared its satellite-related
ambitions, it still lags behind many other countries in the region," INSS
said in a report. "It seems that at present, Iran is still encountering
numerous problems."
