Putin dismisses as ‘fake’ Washington Post report on Russia’s plan to give Iran advanced satellite system

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed as “fake news” a report by the Washington Post that Moscow is preparing to supply Iran with an advanced satellite system that would enable Tehran to track potential military targets across the Middle East and beyond.

"It’s just fake news. At the very least, I don’t know anything about this kind of thing,” Putin said in an exclusive interview with NBC News on Friday.

“Those who are speaking about it probably will maybe know more about it. It’s just nonsense, garbage,” the Russian president added.

Washington Post quoted current and former US and Middle Eastern officials as saying that the plan would deliver to the Iranians a Russian-made Kanopus-V satellite equipped with a high-resolution camera that would greatly enhance Iran’s spying capabilities, allowing continuous monitoring of facilities ranging from Persian Gulf oil refineries and Israeli military bases to Iraqi barracks that house US troops.

The officials said launch of the satellite could happen within months, claiming that it is the result of multiple trips to Russia by commanders of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

Iranian officials are yet to comment on the report.

The report comes as Iran-Russia ties in the military field have not been kept secret as Tehran, in line with its right to self-defense and besides promoting its capability to upgrade its defense industry, has already purchased military equipment from Moscow, including the S-300 missile air defense system.     

Back in December, Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said that Iran and Russia would maintain military cooperation and that the United States’ sanctions will have no impact on Tehran’s military capabilities or its scientific research.

Iran, Russia will continue military cooperation regardless of US sanctions: Ambassador to Moscow

A senior Iranian ambassador says military cooperation between Iran and Russia will not be affected by the United States’ sanctions.

"This behavior of the United States will continue in the future, and the reason is that the US no longer enjoys the dominance of the past,” Jalali said.

Last year, Russia defended Iran’s right to peaceful space technology, dismissing claims by the United States that the launch of the country’s first-ever military satellite into the orbit has violated United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorses a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major world powers.

Russia defends Iran’s peaceful space program against US opposition

Russia defends Iran’s right to peaceful space program, dismissing US claims that the country’s recent satellite launch violated UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, in a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council, said that “the ongoing attempts of the United States side to deprive Iran of the right to reap the benefits of peaceful space technology under false pretexts are a cause for serious concern and profound regret.”

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