FT report alleges Iran used Chinese satellite to target U.S. bases; Beijing denies claim
New York— Iran used a Chinese-built satellite to monitor and target U.S. military bases across the Middle East during the current conflict, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing leaked Iranian military documents, a claim China’s foreign ministry rejected as untrue.
According to the report, the satellite, identified as TEE-01B and developed by Earth Eye Co., was acquired in late 2024 by the Aerospace Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after being launched from China.
The newspaper said Iranian commanders directed the satellite to track key U.S. military installations, citing time-stamped coordinates, orbital analysis and imagery purportedly showing surveillance activity before and after missile and drone strikes carried out in March.
The report added that Iran gained access to satellite control infrastructure through Emposat, a Beijing-based firm operating commercial ground stations across multiple regions, enabling data transmission and operational support.China’s foreign ministry denied the allegations, saying in a statement that claims linking Beijing to the reported activities were fabricated.
“Recently, some forces have been keen on fabricating rumors and maliciously associating them to China,” the ministry said, adding that China “firmly opposes this kind of practice driven by ulterior motives.”Reuters could not independently verify the Financial Times report.
The development, if confirmed, would underscore the increasing role of commercial satellite capabilities in modern conflict, particularly in providing real-time intelligence for targeting and surveillance operations.
