Iran's Space Center

Iran announced recently it is building a new space center from which it will launch satellites into orbit.

Unfortunately, the situation isn't that cut and dried.

Several major nations, including the United States, see the Iranian space program fundamentally as a cover to allow continued rocket development, which can lead to improved ICBMs, which Iran could use in various ways to project its power.  Iran, of course, is perfectly aware of how the West tends to view it, yet it continues to pursue programs it knows will tweak those governments.  True, Iran is a sovereign nation and has every right to set policy as it chooses, but some policies and programs are more provocative than others.  Sticking with such programs beyond a certain point risks disaster.