Iran and Russia are set to engage in talks to explore collaboration opportunities in satellite development, with a particular focus on upgrading the Khayyam remote-sensing satellite system. The discussions will cover various topics, including the development of technical specifications for new Khayyam satellites, as well as plans for a small geostationary satellite and a telecommunications satellite. This partnership marks a significant step in strengthening the ties between Iran and Russia in the field of space exploration.

The Khayyam satellite, which was launched by Russia for Iran using a Soyuz rocket in August of the previous year, is a Russian-built Kanopus-V Earth-observation satellite with an impressive resolution of 3.9 feet (1.2 meters). It is named after the renowned Persian poet and mathematician, Omar Khayyam, adding a cultural touch to its scientific mission. The collaboration between Iran and Russia comes at a crucial time for the Russian space industry, which has faced significant commercial losses following the country's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The aftermath of this event has resulted in the loss of commercial launch contracts and space partnerships, further exacerbating the budgetary challenges caused by economic sanctions and other consequences of the war. Seeking new customers and partners, Russia has turned to Iran, despite the latter facing its own set of sanctions from the United States and other Western nations. In addition to their collaboration on the Khayyam satellite system, Iran has ambitious plans for space exploration, including the development and launch of new satellites.

One such plan is the creation of the General Soleimani Satellite System, which aims to establish a constellation of ten small satellites. Iran's Minister of Information and Communications Technology has also expressed interest in sending humans to space. However, for now, Iran's space capabilities are limited to launching small satellites into low Earth orbit.