Iran has revealed four domestically manufactured satellites and a satellite-carrier rocket namely the Rasad, Zafar, Fajr, and Amir Kabir satellites and the Kavoshgar 4 rocket in a ceremony. The first-stage and second-stage engines of the Safir-e-Fajr satellite carrier and a space recycling and environmental station were also unveiled during the ceremony. The satellites are made for different purpose such as Amir Kabir satellite is a research satellite, the Fajr satellite is a reconnaissance satellite, the Rasad and Zafar satellites will be used for remote sensing missions. The images taken by these satellites can be utilized in meteorology and for the demarcation of water borders and charting the topography of the tributaries of rivers.1

Meanwhile, Iran’s opposition renewed its call for a rally in support of protesters in Tunisia and Egypt despite a government warning of repercussions if demonstrations take place. According to a reformist website ‘kaleme’ the opposition called its supporters to rally in central Tehran and blamed the government for double standards by voicing support for the Egyptian and Tunisian demonstrators while refusing to allow Iranian political activists to stage a peaceful demonstration. Iranian authorities have detained several activists and journalists in recent weeks and put opposition leader Mahdi Karroubi under house arrest. The authorities have also imposed restriction on opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi. Both Mousavi and Karroubi have compared the turmoil in Egypt and Tunisia with their own post election protest movement in 2009, which the Iranian government eventually managed to quash.2

• 1. “Iran unveils new satellites and rocket,” Mehr News, February 7, 2011 at http://www.mehrnews.com/en/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=1248483
• 2. “Iranian opposition defies warning, calls for rally,” Khaleej Times, February 13, 2011, at http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2...