Iran is preparing a site for launching a satellite, Iranian Minister of Information and Communications Technology Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi said. After the Zafar satellite is placed in orbit a timeline has been finalised to launch five more, the minister added. The United States fears long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into orbit could also be used to launch nuclear warheads. Tehran denies the U.S. accusation Tensions have reached the highest level in decades between Iran and the United States after top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed. Iran launched its first satellite Omid in 2009 and said in 2012 that it had successfully put its third domestically-made satellite into orbit.