Britain’s Financial Times says its investigation has found that Iran used a commercial satellite launched by a Chinese firm to collect data on US military bases across the Middle East during the recent conflict-media: Iran used Chinese satellite to target US bases | Britain’s Financial Times says its investigation has found that Iran used a commercial satellite launched by a Chinese firm to collect data on US military bases across the Middle East during the recent conflict-
The newspaper reported on Wednesday that leaked Iranian military documents show that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps acquired the satellite in late 2024 after it was launched into space by China.
As part of the agreement, the IRGC was reportedly granted access to commercial ground stations operated by a Beijing-based provider of satellite control and data services.
The paper also reports that the satellite is capable of capturing imagery at roughly half-meter resolution, allowing analysts to identify aircraft and monitor activity at military bases. The Financial Times says that the most advanced Iranian military satellite is much less precise.
The analysis of time-stamped coordinates, satellite imagery and orbital data suggests that Iranian military commanders used the satellite to monitor and collect images of US military bases in the Middle East around the time when the Revolutionary Guard Corps conducted drone and missile strikes on those targets.
Asked about the findings of the Financial Times’ investigation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry called the reports untrue.
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