❗️FT: Iran acquired Chinese spy satellite to track US bases – The Cradle
❗️FT: Iran acquired Chinese spy satellite to track US bases
Iran covertly obtained a Chinese spy satellite in late 2024 that enabled it to track US military bases across West Asia during the US-Israeli war on Tehran, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
According to the report, the TEE-01B satellite, developed and launched by Chinese firm Earth Eye Co, was acquired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force after being sent into orbit from China, citing leaked Iranian military documents.
The newspaper alleged Iranian commanders used the satellite to observe key US military installations, referencing time-stamped coordinates, satellite imagery, and orbital data. Images were reportedly captured in March both before and after drone and missile strikes on those sites.
As part of the arrangement, the IRGC was reportedly granted access to commercial ground stations run by Beijing-based Emposat, which provides satellite control and data services across Asia, Latin America, and other regions, the report added.
When questioned, the Chinese embassy in Washington told the FT: “we firmly oppose relevant parties spreading speculative and insinuative disinformation against China.”
The satellite reportedly captured images of Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on 13, 14, and 15 March.
The report added that the satellite also tracked the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, as well as areas near the US Fifth Fleet naval base in Manama, Bahrain, and Erbil airport in Iraqi Kurdistan, around the time of IRGC-claimed attacks on those locations.
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