WANA (Aug 20) – Ali Bahreini, Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, warned at a meeting of the Conference on Disarmament that U.S. efforts to gain military and strategic superiority in outer space are increasing the risk of the militarization and weaponization of space.

 

Bahreini said the development of U.S. military and offensive space capabilities, the establishment of dedicated space forces, and the designation of outer space as a new domain of warfare could encourage other countries to develop counter-capabilities, ultimately intensifying an arms race in space.

 

The Iranian envoy also called for the condemnation of U.S. and Israeli attacks on civilian and scientific infrastructure associated with Iran’s peaceful space activities. He stressed that satellite constellations and space-based services must not be turned into tools for hostile actions or violations of countries’ sovereignty.

 

Bahreini further emphasized the equal right of developing countries to benefit from the peaceful uses of outer space and called for the Conference on Disarmament to begin negotiations as soon as possible on a comprehensive, non-discriminatory and legally binding instrument aimed at preventing an arms race in outer space.