Iran prepares to launch new satellite

<p>By Ahmet Dursun</p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – A new satellite to be launched awaits approval of the defense ministry said an Iranian official Tuesday after errors with the satellite carrier were corrected.</p> <p>Doosti (Friendship) will be launched soon, said Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azeri Cehromi. &quot;We expect the Defense Ministry to provide a suitable time and place.&quot;</p> <p>The only fully domestic Iranian-made satellite weighs 52 kilograms (114.6 pounds) is designed for civilian purposes.</p> <p>On Jan. 15, Iran's domestic production satellite, Peyam (Message), launched into space but the phase of placing the satellite into orbit failed.</p> <p>The U.S. and France condemned the launch and claimed it violated the UN Security Council resolution 2231.</p> <p>The U.S. said Iran &quot;hides the intercontinental ballistic missile program threatening the Middle East and Europe behind satellite activities.&quot; </p> <p>Iran counters that the developed missiles are conventional and satellite activities are for civilian purposes.</p>