quote:

Iran Ready to Conquer Space Iran has created a carrier rocket to boost the first satellite to the space, Aviation Week reported referring to Alaoddin Boroujerdi, head of the national security and foreign policy commission of Iranian parliament. The launch complex has been assembled, Alaoddin Boroujerdi told students in Qom, signaling that a satellite will be soon delivered to the orbit. According to the U.S. experts, the 30-ton carrier rocket was created based on Iran’s most powerful Shahab 3, which has the flying range of 1,600 kilometers. The forecast of the U.S. intelligence is that Iranian scientists will be able to develop a new ballistic missile with the flying range of up to 5,000 kilometers by 2015. Iran is apparently preparing the launch of a spying satellite, the analysts of Israel speculate. The weight of such satellite is around 300 kilograms and as soon as the Iranian scientists find out how to create and deliver it to the orbit, they will adjust their missile to it, said Uzi Rubin, former chief of Israel’s Missile Defence Agency. Other experts say Iran probably copied Taepogong-2 ballistic missile of North Korea. This missile was first tested July 5, 2006, but the launch was a failure. Earlier, the chiefs of Israel’s intelligence claimed that North Korea passed to Iran 18 BM25 ballistic missiles with the flying range of around 2,400 kilometers. According to the recent reports of Europe’s intelligence, North Korea is helping Iran prepare the underground nuclear test, similar to the one that it conducted in October of 2006.

Iran Ready to Conquer Space

Personally I think the money would be better spent dragging a lot of people out of some serious conditions, especially to address the safe drinking water, malnourished children and very poor literacy levels.
Iran Poverty rates

Personally I think the US who enforces different embargos on Iran isn't helping much with dragging a lot of people out of some serious conditions too.

Not really, it's not a UN embargo and after all the US sells to countries which are on neutral to friendly terms with Iran so if they need that computer or medicine then they simply buy it from China or Russia.
US embargos on Iran are basically limited to trade in foodstuffs and some fabrics which are allowed. The US does not allow the export of all goods, technology and services to Iran and imports of goods or services from Iran and has done since about 1995 under the other administration.

Still, the manage to get by under those conditions with little interferrance from the US and improve things since the 1960's, spending billions on mostly not very useful space programs when theres a lot of the population that cannot read or write and a fairly high infant mortality rate is something which can be addressed with an internal budget allowance instead of spending it on something which is mostly just 'showy'.