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Iran will unveil three new satellites in February, a report said
Wednesday, amid Western concerns that Tehran is using its nuclear and
space industries to develop atomic and ballistic weapons.

ISNA
news agency quoted Communications Minister Reza Taghipour as saying
that one of the three home-built communications satellites is still
under construction.

Taghipour named the three satellites as Toloo
(Dawn), Ya Mahdi and Mesbah-2, but did not elaborate on exactly when
they would be launched.

Ya Mahdi, Taghipour said as quoted by
ISNA, was an "experimental satellite" and the launch would be for
testing camera and telecommunications equipment.

Mesbah-2, which is under construction, "is a low-orbit telecommunication satellite for storing and sending messages," he said.

"It can do different tasks, not as a 24-hour link, but it can be used for limited communication applications."

Iran's defence minister Ahmad Vahidi said Wednesday that Toloo is a "reconnaissance satellite," ISNA reported.

Vahidi
had previously said Toloo would be unveiled during celebrations in
early February marking the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

He
said last month that Toloo was designed by Sa Iran, also known as Iran
Electronics Industries, an affiliate company of the defence ministry.

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