Several Chinese companies may have provided data to Iran, enabling them to target American interests in the Middle East.
- Among these companies is Emposat, specializing in ground satellite communication stations.
- According to “The Financial Times,” Tehran allegedly used a Chinese satellite in March to monitor key U.S. military sites in the region.
Did Iran use a Chinese satellite in March to monitor key U.S. military sites across the Middle East? The information reported on Wednesday, April 15, by “The Financial Times (FT)” highlights the sensitive issue of cooperation between Beijing and Tehran in this conflict.
According to the British newspaper, citing Iranian military documents, a TEE-01B satellite, built and launched by the Chinese company Earth Eye Co, was acquired by the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a few months after its launch into space from China in June 2024. Iranian military commanders reportedly used this satellite, which had a much better resolution than their own satellites, to capture images of strategic military sites in the Middle East used by Americans.
The images were captured before and after drone and missile strikes against these sites, according to “The Financial Times.” The satellite allegedly captured images on March 13, 14, and 15 of the Prince Sultan Air Base near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where U.S. forces are stationed. Five U.S. Air Force tankers from this base were damaged by missiles on March 14. The satellite also reportedly monitored Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, which hosts U.S. units, and others in the region.
As part of an agreement with Beijing, the Revolutionary Guards allegedly obtained access to commercial ground stations operated by another Chinese company, Emposat, that provides the necessary ground infrastructure for the system to operate. This Chinese telecommunications group reportedly provides the IRGC with both software and the necessary ground network to operate the satellite during its lifetime.
Links to Chinese authorities
Emposat, based in Beijing, is an officially private commercial enterprise. However, it reportedly has ties to Chinese authorities: according to experts, it is hard to imagine a Chinese company launching a satellite abroad without the approval of a government official. Emposat’s development is actively supported by several Chinese investment funds directly linked to local Beijing authorities, as Intelligence Online specifies.
The company was founded in 2016 by Wei Dong, known by the pseudonym Richard Zhao. He worked for 15 years at the Chinese Academy of Space Technology, a government organization. “Emposat is a rising star in the Chinese commercial space sector, but it remains a product of the state and the military establishment,” said Aidan Powers-Riggs, an expert at the CSIS think tank, who conducted research on the group.
Beijing denies any involvement in the war. “We firmly oppose the spread of speculative and insinuating disinformation against China by relevant parties,” said Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington. “We adopt an objective and impartial position and strive to promote peace talks. We never participate in actions that escalate conflicts.”
A network operating worldwide
This is not the first time Emposat has been in the spotlight. European intelligence services are reportedly increasingly concerned about the satellite communication stations of this Chinese group. Intelligence Online revealed that French intelligence closely monitored Chinese activities in this field: an Emposat subsidiary in France is suspected of installing a telecommunications antenna near Airbus Defence and Space (ADS) sites in Toulouse without authorization. It is suspected of spying on French satellites, according to a specialized media report in June 2025.
Emposat’s network of satellite communication stations extends across Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The company operates in over 60 ground stations worldwide, either directly or through partnerships, according to Intelligence Online. This includes operations in Azerbaijan. In Argentina, a controversial project aims to install several antennas in the southern part of the country, with a focus on monitoring Antarctic routes, which have become a strategic priority for Chinese communist leaders. In Africa, Emposat operates antennas already in service in Kenya and South Africa. Each antenna aims to maximize contact time with low or medium Earth orbit satellites to provide telemetry services – a measuring technique for distances – control, and data transmission, as specified by the specialized site.
Other Chinese satellite companies are monitored by U.S. authorities. In 2025, “The Financial Times” reported that Chang Guang Satellite Technology, a commercial group linked to the Chinese army, provided satellite images to Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, in Yemen to target American and international warships in the Red Sea.
Donald Trump’s letter to Xi Jinping
The revelations about the satellite contract come as the United States is more broadly concerned about Beijing’s support for Iran. According to CNN, The New York Times, and The Financial Times, Washington recently suspected China of providing portable anti-aircraft missiles to Iran, similar to those used to shoot down a U.S. F-15 fighter jet, known as MANPADS. However, China strongly denied these allegations on Monday, calling them “baseless slanders.” On Wednesday, in an interview aired on Fox Business, Donald Trump said he had asked Chinese President Xi Jinping not to give weapons to Iran, and Xi had responded that they were not doing so.
