The facility suffered a still unexplained mishap last November during the launch of a Soyuz capsule carrying two Russians and one American to the orbiting station. Officials said a component called a maintenance or service cabin failed to move out from under the blast of exhaust from the ascending rocket.
Iranian researchers are in a difficult situation. Those in Iran face low wages, high inflation, sociopolitical instability, resource mismanagement, oppression by the authorities and long-standing international sanctions. High prices hinder conference attendance, as do difficulties obtaining visas. Unstable Internet connections, frequent power outages and lack of access to scholarly sources jeopardize collaborations. Scholars also have to contend with isolation, and sometimes biases, from the international community. And for those who work abroad, travelling to and from Iran is risky, even with visas and double citizenship.