Iran has started developing space capsules with the aim of sending astronauts into space independently, the country’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi has announced, Eurasia Diary reports citing Sputnik.
In January, Jahromi said that Iran had prepared six satellites to be launched into space. In October of last year, the minister said that Iran was planning to have new satellites launched into Earth's orbit by the end of the current Iranian calendar year, which falls on 19 March.
Previously, the Minister stated that Iran was planning to send an astronaut into space but it needed the help of other countries to do so. Jahromi mentioned Russia in particular as one of the countries that Iran wanted to hold talks with regarding assistance in sending an Iranian astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS).
