Iran envoy warns US efforts to expand military dominance in space could fuel arms race

Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva has warned that US efforts to establish military and strategic dominance in outer space could accelerate an arms race and turn space into a theater of military confrontation.

Speaking at the Conference on Disarmament on Thursday, Ali Bahraini said Washington’s efforts to gain military superiority in outer space were undermining international efforts to preserve space as a peaceful domain.

“The US pursuit of military and strategic superiority in outer space undermines the imperative of preserving space as an entirely peaceful domain and increases the growing risk of its militarization and weaponization,” he said.

Bahraini said the development of US military and offensive space capabilities, including the establishment of dedicated space forces and the designation of outer space as a new domain of warfare, could encourage other countries to develop countervailing capabilities.

“Such efforts could push other countries toward developing corresponding capabilities and intensify the dangerous cycle of an arms race in outer space,” the Iranian envoy said.

He also stressed that discussions on outer-space security should include ground-based infrastructure supporting space activities.

“The international community must condemn the deliberate attacks by the US and Israeli regimes against Iran’s civilian and scientific infrastructure related to peaceful space activities,” Bahraini said.

Such attacks, he said, violate international law and threaten countries’ legitimate right to peacefully use outer space.

The Iranian diplomat further warned against the use of commercial space systems for hostile purposes.

“Satellite constellations, commercial satellites and other space systems must not become tools for hostile actions against other countries or violations of their sovereignty,” he said.

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Bahraini also said companies providing space-based services, including satellite internet providers, should not use the commercial nature of their activities as a cover for continuing to provide military services or support for aggressive or hostile actions against other countries.

He emphasized that developing countries have the same equal and non-discriminatory right as technologically advanced nations to peacefully use outer space.

“Security in outer space must not be defined solely from the perspective of developed countries,” Bahraini said.

The Iranian ambassador also stated that voluntary and non-binding approaches are insufficient to ensure security in outer space and could not replace a legally binding instrument.

He called on the international community to use the UN Conference on Disarmament, which is the only multilateral negotiating body in this field, to promptly begin negotiations on a comprehensive, non-discriminatory and legally binding instrument aimed at preventing an arms race in outer space.

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