TEHRAN, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Tuesday dismissed the U.S. concern over its drive to develop space technology, one day after Washington described the Islamic Republic's launch of a rocket into space as "unfortunate."

    "The government is responsible for progress and development of the country and is not responsible for others' concern," Iranian government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham told his weekly press conference.

    "We have proved that we develop science and technology on the basis of morality and our legal rights," he said, stressing "Iran's entrance into the space aims at research development." Iran on Monday showed off its space drive by launching its first space research center and firing a rocket designed to send its first home-made satellite into space, a move that immediately irked its arch foe, the United States.

    The country's first space research center will be used to launch Iran's first home-produced satellite "Omid" (Hope), according to the official IRNA news agency.

    Iran on Monday also launched a rocket -- Explorer 1. The rocket is designed to send the Omid satellite into orbit within the next Iranian year, which ends in March 2009.

    White House spokeswoman Dana Perino soon expressed concern over the development, saying "I saw this morning that Iran, again, tested a ballistic missile. It's unfortunate that they continue to do that because it further isolates the country from the rest of the world,"

    The United States has been accusing Iran of aiming to equip its missiles with nuclear warheads. Iran categorically denies the charges, insisting that its nuclear program is designed only to generate electricity and preserve its oil and gas for export. In February 2007, Iran joined the international space-faring community when it successfully tested a rocket that went into space as part of its drive to launch five satellites into orbit by2010, it said.

    Iran has been pursuing a space program for the past few years. In October 2005, Iran's first satellite -- the Russian-made Sina-1-- was put into orbit by a Russian rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia.