Recent studies show that Iran conducted a secret acquisition of a Chinese-made spy satellite in 2024 which it used to monitor and attack US military installations during the latest Middle Eastern conflict. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force acquired the TEE-01B satellite according to leaked Iranian military documents which show that the organization obtained the satellite shortly after its construction and launch from Earth Eye Co.

The IRGC obtained crucial access to Emposat’s commercial ground stations through this secret operation which involved Emposat. Iranian forces received access to a large data network which operates throughout Asia and Latin America and various other parts of the world through this agreement. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with Chinese private aerospace companies has not yet answered inquiries about technology transfer.

Monitoring and Striking Key US Military Installations

The Iranian military commanders used their new capability to order satellite operations which monitored US military bases. The surveillance operations conducted their missions during March through time-stamped coordinate lists and orbital analyses and satellite imagery which documented the operations. The satellite conducted surveillance operations at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia from March 13 to March 15 of the year 2023. The US President confirmed on March 14 that base aircraft had suffered damage from the strikes which operated at that time.

The satellite tracked operational activities at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan and monitored locations surrounding the US Fifth Fleet naval base in Bahrain and followed operations at Erbil airport in Iraq. The IRGC conducted attacks in these specific areas according to the established surveillance timelines. The Department of Defense and The White House and Central Intelligence Agency represent key American intelligence and defense institutions which have not verified the report or provided public statements about the intelligence breach.

The new information confirms previous reports which showed Iran operated Russian satellite intelligence after the US-Israeli bombing campaign started on February. The recent two-week ceasefire which interrupted that specific campaign to destabilize Iran’s regime and attack its nuclear operations ended but Iran established an effective blockade of the critical Strait of Hormuz as part of the regional conflict. The diplomatic process to resolve the crisis and restore access to the waterway encountered major obstacles after Russia and China used their veto power to block a resolution which the United Nations Security Council had received.