To strike the United States, Iran would have resorted to satellite technology made in China. The revelation (already denied by Beijing) comes from the Financial Times which cites Iranian military documents which show that at the end of 2024, therefore well before the ongoing conflict, Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards purchased the Tee-01B satellite recently launched into orbit by China.
The Chinese satellite used in the war with the United States
The spy satellite, writes the British newspaper, “has given the Islamic Republic” the “ability to strike US military bases throughout the Middle East”. Thanks to the satellite, Iranian military commanders would have been able to monitor important US military sites. The Tee-01B, writes the FT, was built and launched into space by the Chinese company Earth Eye Co. As part of the agreement, Tehran would also have access to ground stations operated by Emposat, a satellite control and data services provider based in Beijing.
From the records, specifies the Financial Times, it emerges that the satellite captured images of the Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia on 13, 14 and 15 March.
US President Donald Trump confirmed on March 14 that the base had been hit by Iranian forces and five US Air Force tanker planes had been damaged. The satellite would also be used to monitor other air bases across the Middle East, providing Tehran with the ability to target or monitor US military bases in the region. The Tee-01B would have guaranteed images of a much higher resolution than what Iranian satellites can offer, thus offering valuable military support to the Revolutionary Guards.
The Chinese embassy: “Disinformation of interested parties”
The Chinese embassy in Washington thus denied the newspaper’s reconstruction. “We firmly oppose the spread of disinformation based on speculation and insinuations against China by interested parties. We maintain an objective and impartial position – said the embassy spokesperson – and we have worked to promote peace talks. We never undertake actions that aggravate conflicts”. A few days ago Trump said that if China supplied air defense systems to Tehran it would have “big problems”.