US EditionIran Used Chinese Spy Satellite to Target U.S. Bases, FT Reports
Leaked documents show the IRGC got 0.5-meter imagery and ground-station access, letting it track U.S. sites before and after strikes, FT reported.
- A Financial Times investigation revealed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps utilized a Chinese-built TEE-01B satellite to monitor United States military installations during the recent conflict, enabling precision targeting for Iran-linked forces.
- The IRGC acquired the system in late 2024 through an "in-orbit delivery" scheme with Chinese firm Earth Eye Co, paying approximately $36.6 million for control of the satellite and associated ground infrastructure.
- With imagery resolution of around 0.5 metres, the TEE-01B captured detailed views of Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia hours before and after a March 14 missile strike that damaged five United States Air Force refueling aircraft.
- Intelligence streams also covered the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan and United States Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. Former CIA analyst Jim Lamson told the Financial Times that combining satellite data with human intelligence provides a "powerful tool" for military planning.
- United States officials have flagged concerns regarding dual-use technology transfers, while China denies involvement in escalating conflicts. Expert Nicole Grajewski of Sciences Po stated, "This satellite is clearly being used for military purposes," highlighting blurred lines between commercial and military space capabilities.
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The information was revealed by the Financial Times: Iran secretly acquired, at the end of 2024, a Chinese spy satellite that allowed it to capture images of American military bases across the Middle East. An asset that proved crucial in the recent fighting. Reacting to the article in the British daily, the Chinese authorities claimed that it was "unfounded".
abc
ExpansiónIran secretly acquired a Chinese spy satellite at the end of 2024, allowing it to target U.S. military bases throughout the Middle East during the current war, as published on Wednesday in the 'Financial Times', although Beijing has described this information as false. The TEE-01B satellite, built and launched by the Chinese company Earth Eye Co, was acquired by the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after its launch…
Bases in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and Iraq were targeted: Iran's Revolutionary Guards may have secretly bought the TEE-01B satellite in China to spy on US troops – and then hit them.
The Financial Times reported on Wednesday that Iran used a Chinese-made spy satellite to attack a US base. The newspaper said Iran purchased the satellite in 2024.
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