Along with the Iranian satellite, there are 16 small spacecraft aboard the rocket, created by leading Russian universities, commercial companies and non-profit organizations.
They are designed for scientific and technological research, including for testing technologies for inter-satellite communications, measuring the level of electromagnetic radiation, and monitoring the environmental situation.
In a few minutes, the rocket will launch the Fregat upper stage with satellites into low-Earth orbit, which will then carry the spacecraft to their target orbits.