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Summary

A report, citing leaked Iranian military documents, said that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Air Force acquired from China the satellite (TEE-01B), built and launched by Chinese company Earth-i in late 2024 after it was sent into space.

The Financial Times reported Wednesday that Iran secretly used a Chinese satellite for espionage, giving Tehran a new capability to target US military bases across the Middle East during the recent war.

A report, citing leaked Iranian military documents, said that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Air Force acquired from China the satellite (TEE-01B), built and launched by Chinese company Earth-i in late 2024 after it was sent into space.

The newspaper, citing dated coordinates, satellite images and orbital analyses, said Iranian military commanders directed the satellite to monitor key US military sites. It noted that the images were taken in March, before and after drone and missile strikes on those locations.

Reuters was unable to verify the report.

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No comment has yet been issued by the White House, the CIA, the Pentagon, Earth-i, or Emposat, a Beijing-based company that provides satellite control and data services with a network spanning Asia, Latin America and other regions.

The report indicated that as part of the deal, the Revolutionary Guard gained access to commercial ground stations operated by Emposat.

The Financial Times reported that the satellite captured images of Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 13, 14 and 15 this year.

On March 14, US President Donald Trump confirmed that American aircraft at the base had been attacked.

The report said the satellite also spotted Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, sites near the US Fifth Fleet base in Manama, Bahrain, and Erbil Airport in Iraq, coinciding with attacks claimed by the Revolutionary Guard on facilities in those areas.

China's Foreign Ministry denied the report on Wednesday, calling it untrue.

The ministry said in a statement to Reuters, 'Recently, some forces have been keen to fabricate rumors and maliciously link them to China.'

The statement added, 'China strongly opposes such practices driven by hidden motives.'

In response to a query, the Chinese embassy in Washington told the Financial Times, 'We strongly oppose the relevant parties publishing false information full of speculation and insinuations against China.'

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