Sunday, May 24, 2026, 11:41 p.m
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The Aerospace Forces of the Revolutionary Guards would have acquired a satellite operated by the Chinese company The Earth Eye/FOTO:X@SoftWarNews
Trade documents and shipping data suggest a network through which Tehran obtained advanced Chinese technology for its drone program.
Iran allegedly used a company registered in the United Arab Emirates to purchase Chinese satellite equipment with military applications, according to an investigation published by the Financial Times.
Commercial documents and shipping documents analyzed by the publication show that the Aerospace Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps purchased satellite communications equipment in late 2025 through a company based in the Emirates.
The information appears in a sensitive context, after the United Arab Emirates was among the Gulf states most affected by the Iranian attacks launched in retaliation for the American-Israeli operations on Iran. According to the reports, Tehran would have launched more than 2,800 drones and missiles on the Emirati territory, including some civilian targets.
According to the FT, the company involved is called Telesun and operates in the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah. It would have coordinated the transport of almost 1.8 tons of equipment for satellite dishes manufactured in Chinashipped from Shanghai to Iran via Dubai’s Jebel Ali port.
The final transport to Iran would have been made by the Iranian ship Rama III
The investigation also shows that the final shipment to Iran was allegedly carried out by the Iranian ship Rama III, which allegedly transmitted false location data during the voyage to hide the real destination of the cargo.
Satellite images and maritime data analyzed by the FT suggest the ship simulated a route off the coast of Oman, when in reality it was heading for the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
According to customs documents, the shipment — described as “antennas and accessories” — was destined for the Iranian company Ertebatat Faragostar Kish.
The analyzed contracts indicate that Telesun purchased the equipment on behalf of this firm, which would collaborate with Saman Industrial Group on a project related to communications and military drones.
Treasury US has sanctioned Saman Industrial Group since 2023, accusing the company of helping Iran obtain drone components and military technology through a network of intermediary firms in multiple jurisdictions.
Among the equipment mentioned by the US authorities are satellite dishes, servo motors and other components used in the production of drones.
Although the Iranian company EFK is not on the sanctions lists, the shipping firm Blue Calm Marine Services involved in shipping the cargo was sanctioned by the US in 2023 for facilitating shipments associated with Iranian military programs.
Iran continued to use commercial infrastructure and free economic zones in the UAE for strategic purchases despite Western sanctions
The FT’s investigation suggests Iran has continued to use the UAE’s commercial infrastructure and free economic zones for strategic purchases, despite Western sanctions.
Analysts say the Emirates’ status as an important regional trade hub and the existence of areas with more relaxed trade regulations have over time fueled concerns about their use to avoid international sanctions.
In a separate article published last month, the Financial Times reported that the Aerospace Forces of the Revolutionary Guards had quietly purchased a satellite operated by the Chinese company The Earth Eye, used to monitor US military bases and infrastructure in the Gulf states before the March attacks.
Earlier this month, the US also imposed sanctions on the Chinese company, accusing it of supporting Iranian military operations.
In parallel, the American press reports that Washington and Tehran are discussing the possibility of a temporary agreement that would include extending the truce for 60 days, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming negotiations on limiting the Iranian nuclear program.
