UPDATE – Iran satellite fails to reach orbit

UPDATES WITH MORE STATEMENTS

TEHRAN (AA) – Iran on Tuesday failed to launch a satellite into space, a process criticized by the U.S. and deemed challenging to UN Security Council resolutions.

Iran's state T.V. quoted Minister of Information and Communication Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi as saying the satellite failed to reach the required speed in the third stage of launching.

For his part, Ahmad Motamedi, Director of Amirkabir University of Technology, told the semi-official Mehr News Agency that another satellite will be built following the failed launch.

"The Ministry of Science, Research and Technology ordered building a new satellite," he said.

"Without current experience and without losing time, we can build a new satellite that could go with a higher speed," he added.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has earlier said that Iran's plans to send satellites into space showed the country's defiance of a UN Security Council resolution calling on Tehran not to engage in any ballistic missile-related activities that could be capable of producing nuclear weapons.

Iran has confirmed that satellite launching does not violate Security Council resolutions.