Iran launches space missile - state TV

TEHRAN, Feb 25 (Reuters) Iran has launched a missile capable of reaching space, Iran's state television Web site reported today, quoting an Iranian aerospace official.

''Iran has successfully launched its first space missile made by Iranian scientists,'' the head of Iran's aerospace research centre, Mohsen Bahrami, was quoted as saying.

Yesterday, Defence Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said Iran was planning to build a satellite and launcher.

Iranian advances in building missiles capable of reaching space are watched closely by the West because the same technology could be used to build intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Iran launched its first satellite, Sina-1, into orbit from a Russian rocket in 2005 and has said it planned to modify its Shahab-3 missile, which Iran says has a range of about 2,000 km to launch satellites.

Bahrami said the missile was built by his centre in cooperation of the Defence and Science Ministries. He gave no further details.

Despite announcing what would be a major advance in Iran's missile technology, the news was mentioned only once by the main state TV news channel and was not carried by other Iranian official media.

The UN Security Council has slapped sanctions on Iran that bar the transfer of technology and know-how to Iran's nuclear and missile programmes, a move that was pushed for by the West because of fears that Iran is seeking to build atomic bombs.

Tehran says its nuclear programme is purely civilian and aims to generate electricity.

The defence minister was quoted by a newspaper as saying: ''Building a satellite and satellite launcher, as well as (previously) launching the first Iranian satellite called Sina with Russian cooperation, and becoming a member of the space club, are part of the Defence Ministry's plans.'' The daily Etemad-e Melli said the minister made the comments yesterday.

REUTERS SP BD1548