Report: Iran sends domestic satellite to orbit

AP: Iran's state radio says the country has successfully sent its first domestically made satellite into orbit.

The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's state radio says the country has successfully sent its first domestically made satellite into orbit.

The Tuesday report says the satellite was launched late Monday after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave the final approval.

Tehran unveiled the satellite and inaugurated its first space center in 2008 .

State radio says the satellite was sent into orbit by a Safir-2, or ambassador-2 rocket.

Iran has long held the goal of developing a space program, generating unease among world leaders already concerned about its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The report could not be independently verified.