Iran used Chinese spy satellite to target US bases, says FT report

Iran is believed to have secretly acquired a Chinese-made spy satellite in late 2024, enabling it to monitor and potentially target US military bases across the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. China, however, has rejected the claim as “untrue.”

According to the report, the TEE-01B satellite—developed and launched by Beijing-based firm Earth Eye Co.—was obtained by the Aerospace Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after its deployment into orbit from China. The claims are based on leaked Iranian military documents.

The report further states that Iranian commanders used the satellite to track key US military installations, citing coordinate data, orbital analysis, and satellite imagery. These images were reportedly captured in March, both before and after drone and missile strikes targeting those sites.

As part of the alleged arrangement, Iran’s IRGC also gained access to commercial ground stations operated by Emposat, a satellite control and data services provider headquartered in Beijing with a global network spanning Asia and Latin America.

Responding to the report, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the allegations, accusing unnamed actors of spreading misinformation. “Recently, some forces have been keen on fabricating rumors and maliciously associating them to China,” the ministry said, adding that Beijing “firmly opposes such practices driven by ulterior motives.”

Reuters noted that it could not independently verify the claims.