Iran secretly purchased Chinese satellite technology through UAE, then attacked Abu Dhabi: report

Leaked business and shipping records reviewed by the Financial Times show that Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards used a procurement network based in the United Arab Emirates to secretly purchase advanced Chinese satellite communications equipment related to Tehran’s drone and missile programs.The revelations revealed how a company operating in the United Arab Emirates helped provide sensitive communications technology to the same arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that later launched a slew of drones and missiles into the Gulf state during Iran’s retaliation for attacks on the United States and Israel. The documents also reveal sophisticated methods used to hide the final destination of goods and bypass scrutiny despite years of Western sanctions targeting Iran’s military procurement agencies.Records show that in late 2025, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force obtained military-grade Chinese satellite antenna equipment through Telesun, a company based in the emirate of Khaimah. The equipment is manufactured in China and travels from Shanghai to Dubai’s Jebel Ali container port before arriving in Iran.The UAE later became one of the main targets of Iran’s retaliatory actions after the United States and Israel attacked Iranian assets. The report said Tehran launched more than 2,800 drones and missiles into the Gulf country, including attacks on civilian locations.The disclosures are particularly sensitive given Abu Dhabi’s traditionally tough stance against Tehran. However, despite political tensions, the UAE has long remained an important commercial hub for Iranian companies doing business abroad. Analysts have repeatedly warned that China’s vast free trade zones may have weak regulations, creating opportunities for sanctions evasion and illegal procurement networks.Telesun arranged for the delivery of a 4.5-meter mobile satellite dish produced by Chinese manufacturer StarWin, according to invoices, customs declarations, packing lists and shipping records seen by the Financial Times. The shipment weighed nearly 1.8 tons and was described in customs records as “antennas and accessories.”The equipment was initially transported from Shanghai to Dubai’s Jebel Ali Container Terminal 1 by the Chinese container ship Zhonggu Yinchuan. Shipping records reviewed by the newspaper showed the ship arrived in Dubai on August 28, where it unloaded a container that was later collected by an Iranian ship named the Rama III.Documents show the Rama III docked at the same terminal on November 23 and departed a day later to transport cargo to Iran.However, a Financial Times analysis of maritime GPS data and satellite imagery showed that Iranian ships deliberately transmitted false navigation information in an apparent attempt to conceal their actions.According to reports, GPS signals from Rama III showed that the ship left the bay and briefly stopped near Oman. But satellite images taken on November 25 reportedly showed that the ship did not exist at the coordinates it transmitted to surrounding ships.The discrepancy strongly suggests that the ship was “spoofing,” a deceptive maritime practice in which a ship broadcasts false location data to disguise its true route and destination.On November 29, satellite images captured a ship matching the size, shape and appearance of the Rama III docked at the Shaheed Rajai port in Bandar Abbas, Iran. The same port is listed in the shipping documents as the final delivery destination of the shipment.The shipment was consigned to Iranian telecommunications company Ertebatat Faragostar Kish (EFK). Telesun procured the equipment on behalf of EFK for a project linked to another Iranian entity, Saman Industrial Group, according to a contract reviewed by the Financial Times.The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Samman in December 2023, accusing the company of acting as a commercial front for the Aerospace Forces Self-Sufficiency Jihad, the research and development arm responsible for the Guard’s ballistic missiles, drones and electronic warfare programs.U.S. authorities accuse Samman of helping Iran acquire drone-related technology through intermediary companies operating across multiple jurisdictions. The alleged equipment includes antennas, servo motors and other parts suitable for drones.The EU also sanctioned the Alibaba Jihadist group, accusing it of supplying Iranian drones to Russia.EFK itself is not currently subject to Western sanctions.The bill of lading shows that the shipping agent handling the Iranian transaction is Blue Calm Marine Services. The United States imposed sanctions on the company in 2023, accusing it of facilitating shipments to another entity linked to Iran’s Defense Ministry missile propellant development program.Telesun publicly describes itself as a UAE-based supplier of fixed and mobile satellite communications systems to the Middle East and North Africa region, offering services from “design to installation and commissioning.”Neither Telesun nor the UAE’s foreign ministry responded to questions from the Financial Times about the allegations. The Iranian embassy in London also did not respond.The report adds to growing scrutiny of China-linked technology transfers that support Iran’s military infrastructure. Last month, the Financial Times separately reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force secretly obtained a satellite launched by China’s EarthEye company. The satellite was allegedly used to monitor U.S. military bases and Gulf infrastructure before the attack in March.Earlier this month, Washington imposed sanctions on Eye of the Earth for allegedly supporting Iranian military operations.“The United States will continue to take action to hold Chinese entities accountable for their support of Iran,” the State Department said. “Attacks against U.S. service members and partners will not go unanswered.”The revelations are likely to heighten concerns among Western governments about using Gulf business hubs and international logistics networks to circumvent sanctions imposed on Iran’s military procurement ecosystem. The revelations could also put new pressure on the UAE to tighten oversight of companies operating within its free trade zone amid concerns that sensitive military technology continues to flow into Iran despite years of restrictions and surveillance efforts.