The spy satellite provided Iranian war planners with real-time information, enabling numerous successful strikes on U.S. military infrastructure across the Middle East.
No one from the U.S. Department of War has yet confirmed these claims, which would represent a significant advancement in Iran's capabilities, as it has previously relied on its own resources.
The TEE-01B satellite, built and launched by the Chinese company Earth Eye Co., was taken over by the Air Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in late 2024 after being launched into space from China, according to a report citing leaked Iranian military documents.
This information also follows a series of earlier reports suggesting that China, while officially neutral, has been assisting Iran through technological and intelligence capabilities for some time.
The U.S. intelligence community has been warning about the support China provides to Tehran since the beginning of the conflict with Iran.