Iran has secretly acquired a Chinese-made spy satellite, giving it new surveillance capabilities and potential targeting of U.S. military bases in the Middle East, the Financial Times reports.
The publication, citing leaked Iranian military documents, said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps obtained the TEE-01B satellite in 2024 and used it to track bases in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq and other countries, acquiring images around the time of missile and drone strikes.
The satellite’s high resolution is a significant improvement over Iranian systems. Analysts note that access to ground stations operated by China allows Iran to operate the satellite around the world, making attempts to disarm it more difficult.
Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the information; officials in Washington and Beijing declined to comment.
The Chinese embassy in Washington said it rejected “the spread of misinformation regarding China”. The White House noted that US President Donald Trump had previously warned China of the consequences if it supplied Iran with air defence systems, but did not comment on the satellite information.
Since the US-Israeli military operation began on 28 February, Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the world’s oceans. The strait is of strategic importance as it is used to supply oil from the oil-producing countries of the Persian Gulf to the world market. The blocking of ship traffic by the Strait of Hormuz has been a major factor in the sharp rise in global energy prices.
China and Russia, during a vote at the UN Security Council meeting on 7 April, vetoed Bahrain’s resolution that would have encouraged countries to coordinate protection of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier in March, the UN Security Council condemned Iran’s strikes on Gulf countries, while Russia and China abstained during the vote.