Iran secretly used a Chinese-built satellite to monitor United States military bases across the Middle East during a recent conflict, according to an investigation by the Financial Times.
The report said leaked Iranian military documents revealed that the satellite, named TEE-01B, was acquired by the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in late 2024 after being launched from China. The satellite was reportedly built and launched by Earth Eye Co under an “in-orbit delivery” model, allowing spacecraft launched in China to be transferred to overseas clients once in space.
According to the investigation, Iranian commanders used the satellite to capture images of several US military facilities before and after strikes. These included the Prince Sultan Air Base, where US aircraft were damaged in March during confirmed attacks. Surveillance was also reportedly conducted near the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base and the US Fifth Fleet base in Manama, as well as locations in Erbil and Kuwait.
The Financial Times reported that the IRGC was granted access to ground station services operated by Beijing-based Emposat, enabling satellite control and data transmission. Experts cited in the report noted that the satellite’s high-resolution imagery capability marked a major technological upgrade for Iran compared to its earlier domestically produced systems.
