Iran’s space programme is moving ahead, with plans to launch the Pars 2 satellite and deploy the Shahid Soleimani satellite constellation by year-end, officials said on Wednesday.

Minister of Information and Communications Technology Sattar Hashemi said preparations were ongoing to place Pars 2 into orbit.

The domestically built Earth-observation satellite is designed for imaging, remote sensing and environmental monitoring, according to Iranian media.

Speaking at a meeting with experts from the Iranian Space Research Institute and the head of the Iranian Space Agency (ISA), Hashemi described the space sector as strategically important, citing its potential applications in agriculture, water management and data-driven governance.

He said the space industry had continued operating despite wartime conditions, calling it a sign of resilience and sustained technical effort.

Hashemi also said work was progressing on satellite constellations, adding that the Shahid Soleimani communications constellation was expected to be ready for launch by year-end.

He stressed the need to expand international cooperation and restructure the sector to take advantage of emerging opportunities after recent regional challenges.

ISA head Hassan Salarieh said Iran’s space projects were continuing at “high speed” and rejected claims that the programme had been disrupted by war.

He said the country’s space infrastructure was distributed and could not be paralysed by targeting individual facilities, adding that satellite communication, imaging and data services remained fully operational.

Salarieh confirmed that work on the Shahid Soleimani constellation was advancing and reiterated that the project remained on track for completion within Iran’s 1405 calendar year (ending March 2027), while acknowledging minor delays due to wartime conditions.

Despite challenges, officials said Iran’s space programme remains active, with major launches and deployments planned in the coming months.