Iran’s announcement that it has successfully put a satellite in orbit has successfully triggered the fear in many.

The satellite is named Omid (Hope), and according to Reuters is for research and telecoms. Manouchehr Mottaki, the Iranian Foreign Minister, commented, “Iran’s satellite technology is for purely peaceful purposes and to meet the needs of the country.”

However France, American and UK are already expressing concerns about Iran’s apparent space-ability, mainly because the technology used could also be used to make ballistic missiles (BBC).

Tal Inbar, of Israeli think-tank the Fisher Brothers Institute, has a slightly different take. “We should regard this satellite as the ‘Iranian Sputnik’. The main value is … propaganda,” say Inbar (Israeli radio, via Reuters.)

Not everyone is po-faced though. On the Arms Control Wonk blog, under the headline ‘Congratulations Iran!’ Geoffrey Forden says:

There will be plenty of time to discuss the security implications of Iran’s Omid satellite but for right now, let’s take a minute to appreciate the technological feat it represents!

Forden’s take seems rather unique at the moment though. Given current concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and general government, in many quarters Hope seems to be inspiring despair rather than its namesake emotion.