Iran has successfully launched its Sorayya satellite into orbit, Iranian state media informed on Saturday, in a move likely to increase Western concerns about Tehran's nuclear ambitions, Paralel.Az reports citing Reuters.

The satellite, which is being developed by the research arm of the civilian Iranian Space Agency, was put into a 750 km (466 mile) orbit, the highest successfully reached by Iran, the reports said.

The 50 kg (110 lb) satellite was launched by the Qaem 100, a three-stage solid-fuel rocket built by the elite military Revolutionary Guards, they said.

The U.S. military says the long-range ballistic technology used to put satellites into orbit could also allow Tehran to launch longer-range weapons, possibly including nuclear warheads.

Tehran denies U.S. assertions that such activity is a cover for ballistic missile development and says it has never pursued the development of nuclear weapons.

Iran, which has one of the biggest missile programmes in the Middle East, has suffered several failed satellite launches in recent years due to technical issues.