Iran’s Khayyam satellite starts monitoring, mapping land use changes

The spokesman for the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) says the country’s Khayyam satellite has started remote sensing for monitoring and mapping land use changes.

Hossein Daliriyan said on Saturday that the ISA and the Information Technology Organization of Iran (ITO) are exploring legal channels in order to prepare and present the first batch of satellite images to judicial authorities combating land expropriation.

He said a memorandum of understanding has already been signed between ISA and ITO after the latter requested more accurate data and observation of land surface by means of the satellite in order to resolve legal disputes between ordinary citizens and state bodies.

While data are being collected and analyzed under the agreement, the two Iranian organizations are exploring necessary legal channels so as to arrive at favorable goals and provide the first batch of satellite images to help deal with various cases of land grab and monitor land use changes.

“Khayyam satellite is currently taking images from different parts of the country as part of efforts to implement the memorandum of understanding. These images will be utilized in order to address legal challenges of ordinary people and state institutions concerning land use changes,” Daliriyan said.

“We are ready to offer necessary data to other Iranian state agencies and help them solve their problems in various fields, including environmental monitoring, water resources, soil erosion and land subsidence,” added.