An Iranian defense ministry spokesperson confirmed that a rocket launched on December 30 failed to deliver its three satellite payloads into orbit. The Simorgh space launch vehicle had not reached the speed necessary to enter orbit. The United States, France, and Germany criticized the launch and said it violated a 2015 U.N. Security Council resolution that called upon Iran not to test ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons. The United States has alleged that Iran's space program is a cover used to develop ballistic missiles, a claim Tehran denies.