Russia will launch two Iranian satellites into orbit using a Soyuz launcher on Tuesday, Iran's ambassador to Moscow said on Monday, as the two U.S.-sanctioned countries deepen their scientific relationship.

       "In continuation of the development of Iran-Russia scientific and technological cooperation, two Iranian satellites, Kowsar and Hodhod, will be launched to a 500 km orbit of earth on Tuesday, Nov. 5, by a Soyuz launch vehicle," Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali said in a post on X.

       The development of Kowsar, a high-resolution imaging satellite, and Hodhod, a small communications satellite, is the first substantial effort by Iran's private space sector, a report by Iran's semi-official news agency Tasnim said last month.

       Russia launched an Iranian research-sensing satellite, Pars 1, into space in February using a Soyuz rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. REUTERS