Iran says launches satellite rocket

By Parisa Hafezi and Reza Derakhshi

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran test-fired a domestically made satellite-carrier rocket on Wednesday, Iranian media said, a move likely to worry Western powers who fear Tehran is seeking to build a nuclear bomb.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking at a ceremony to unveil three new satellites and other space technology achievements, said the Islamic Republic hoped to send astronauts into space soon.

"The field for breaking the global domineering system is the science and technology arena," he said, referring to Iran's foes.

Western nations fear Iran is seeking to build nuclear bombs and are concerned that the long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into orbit can also be used to launch warheads. Iran says it has no plans to do so.

Iran, the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, says its nuclear programme is solely to generate electricity. Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday Iran was ready to send its enriched uranium abroad in exchange for nuclear fuel.

Ahmadinejad appeared for the first time to drop long- standing conditions Tehran had set, and the United States said if Iran was serious about a deal it should tell the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The Iranian president made no mention of the nuclear row at Wednesday's aerospace event.

"Iran successfully launches home-built Kavoshgar-3 (Explorer-3) satellite rocket," English-language television station Press TV said.