Iran successfully launches satellite carrying rocket

Iran successfully launched a satellite-carrying rocket into space on Thursday, the country's state media reported without elaborating. Iranian state television described the launch as involving a"Simorgh"rocket that is capable of carrying a satellite weighing 250 kilograms (550 pounds). The state media report did not elaborate on the rocket's payload."Simorgh"means"phoenix"in Farsi. The launch comes as the United States has criticized Iran's ballistic missile tests. (AP)