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A recent report by the Financial Times indicates that Iran obtained a Chinese spy satellite in 2024, which it allegedly uses to monitor and strike U.S. military positions throughout the Middle East. The satellite, known as TEE-01B, was built and launched by China’s Earth Eye Co and was acquired by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force following its launch in China, according to leaked Iranian military documents cited in the report.
Iranian military leaders reportedly directed the satellite to track key U.S. military sites, with evidence including timestamped coordinates, satellite images, and orbital analysis. These images, taken in March, show activities both before and after drone and missile strikes on those sites. Additionally, the report states that the IRGC gained access to commercial ground stations managed by Beijing-based Emposat, a provider of satellite control and data services with a broad network across Asia, Latin America, and other regions.
China has dismissed the Financial Times story as “fabricated” and strongly opposes what it calls “malicious rumors” and disinformation linking Beijing to covert satellite activities supporting Iran during ongoing conflicts. The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded to Reuters that recent claims are unfounded and driven by ulterior motives. U.S. officials, including the White House, CIA, and Defense Department, did not immediately comment, nor did Earth Eye Co or Emposat.
The report notes that the White House has not publicly addressed the link between Emposat and Iran’s IRGC but referenced recent comments by President Trump, warning that China would face “big problems” if it supplied Iran with air defense systems. When asked about the satellite report, China’s embassy in Washington reiterated their opposition to “disinformation campaigns” targeting China.
The satellite imagery also revealed monitoring of Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 13-15, with Trump confirming U.S. aircraft there were hit on March 14. The satellite additionally tracked locations such as the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, near the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, and Erbil Airport in Iraq around the time of Iran-reported attacks on those sites.
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