Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:
Iran said Sunday that two newly constructed satellites have passed pre-launch tests and will be transported to the nation's space center for eventual launch, without elaborating.
Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi tweeted about the development, calling it an "important research step."
Iran has not said when it will launch the satellites, but often coordinates its launches with national holidays. It will celebrate the 41st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution next month.
Iran's largely state-run media say the 90-kilogram (200-pound) Zafar satellites each have four high-resolution color cameras and will monitor and transmit data on natural resources as well as agricultural and environmental developments.
[...] Iran has sent several satellites into orbit over the past decade, and in 2013 it launched a monkey into space.
(Score: 2) by ikanreed on Wednesday January 22 2020, @03:05PM
I disagree on Turkey what with the 5 year ongoing "state of emergency", the direct control of the majority of media in the country by erdogan, the decision by the EU that the last election wasn't going to be free and fair with the restrictions on movement place, the decision of the winner to move along with it anyway. The violence on the part of edogan supporters against non-erdogan supporters. The fact that ergogan was caught ON FUCKING TAPE ordering local minsters to seize control of the ballot boxes to manipulate the vote.
You might as well call Assad democratically elected.
Honestly, my number 2 choice for closest thing to a second democracy in the middle east is probably Iraq of all places. And that's a mess too.