On February 3, 2009, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that his country had successfully placed a satellite in orbit. The satellite, called Omid or Hope in Farsi, is said to be for telecommunication and research.FOX News: Iran Puts First Homemade Satellite in Orbit (February 3, 2009) Independent: Iranian satellite launch prompts fresh concern (February 4, 2009)

The news came as a joint meeting of officials from China, Russia, Great Britain, France, Germany, and the U.S. will meet February 4, 2009, in Frankfurt to discuss Iran's nuclear program. In 2008, the U.N. Security Council imposed sanctions to pressure Iran into suspending its uranium enrichment program.FOX News: Iran Puts First Homemade Satellite in Orbit (February 3, 2009) Independent: Iranian satellite launch prompts fresh concern (February 4, 2009)

British foreign secretary David Miliband, expressed concern that the launch could increase tension between Iran and the west. One concern is that the Safir-2, used to launch the satellite into orbit, is an adaptation of a long-range missile that could carry a nuclear weapon.FOX News: Iran Puts First Homemade Satellite in Orbit (February 3, 2009) Independent: Iranian satellite launch prompts fresh concern (February 4, 2009)

"Dear Iranians, your children have put the first indigenous satellite into orbit. With this launch the Islamic Republic of Iran has officially achieved a presence in space."—Mahmoud AhmadinejadInvestor's Business Daily: Iran's Sputnik? (February 3, 2009)

"We can't but link this to the very serious concerns about the development of military nuclear capacity."—French foreign minister Eric ChevallierInvestor's Business Daily: Iran's Sputnik? (February 3, 2009)