France said on Thursday an Iranian rocket Tehran says is intended to put a satellite into orbit is in fact a missile that cannot navigate in space, and added to concerns that the technology is aimed at making weapons.

On Monday, Iran launched what it said was a rocket designed to carry a locally-made research satellite. "This new test, presented by the Iranian authorities as the illustration of a space programme when the missile in question does not have extra-atmospheric capabilities, is a further source of concern," French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pascale Andreani said on Thursday. (Reuters)