US media reported on the 10th that Russia will deliver a set of Earth remote sensing satellite system "Canopus-V" with high-resolution cameras to Iran.
"The Washington Post" reported that the "Canopus-V" remote sensing satellite is equipped with a camera with a resolution of 1.2 meters, and the satellite may be launched from Russia within a few months.
The report quoted US government officials and officials from a certain Middle East country as saying that Iran can use this satellite system to "continuously monitor" targets in the Middle East, including Israeli military bases and Iraqi military camps where US troops are stationed.
The Middle East official said that "this satellite system is not the best in the world", but its high resolution is "very advantageous", and Iran will therefore have "an accurate target database that can be updated within a few hours."
According to the US media, Iranian officials have visited Russia several times since 2018 to discuss the "Canopus-V" project.
Russia sent a number of experts to Iran to help with training this spring.
Iran has built a new facility near the city of Karaj west of the capital Tehran to serve as the ground operation center for this satellite system.
The Russian National Aerospace Corporation did not respond to the "Washington Post" report for the time being.
According to the Russian Satellite News Agency, an Iranian company signed a contract to manufacture and launch "Canopus-V" with a Russian scientific research institution and a company in 2015.
Many international media have reported that the US media has exposed that the timing of Russia's intention to deliver remote sensing satellites to Iran is delicate.
This comes at a time when Russian President Putin and US President Biden are about to meet, and the parties involved in the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue are in the Austrian capital of Vienna to resume negotiations between the United States and Iran.
Putin and Biden are scheduled to meet in Geneva, Switzerland on the 16th.
Agence France-Presse reported that Russia's delivery of satellites to Iran may increase the dissatisfaction of the United States on the eve of the meeting between the Russian and US dollar leaders.
The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed in April last year that it had successfully launched the first military satellite "Nur."
The United States questioned the launch of Iran’s satellite as a “cover” for the development of missile projects.
The Iranian government has always emphasized that Iran’s space projects are used for peaceful purposes and comply with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
(Bao Xuelin) (Xinhua News Agency Special Feature)