Iran’s reported plans to sign up to China’s BeiDou satellite navigation system could expand Beijing’s footprint in the Middle East as advanced technology emerges as a battleground, according to analysts.
The plans come after Tehran suffered major losses to its military and nuclear facilities in its 12-day war with Israel and the US in June.
In an interview with local newspaper Ham-Mihan last month, Iranian deputy communications minister Ehsan Chitsaz confirmed that it deliberately jammed GPS signals to misguide drones or missiles in the war with Israel.
He said Tehran was planning to migrate some of the country’s location-based services, such as those relating to transport and agriculture.
“The Islamic Republic is set to pursue alternative options such as China’s BeiDou system, which has been raised as one of the main axes of the long-time joint agreement during ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Beijing,” he said.
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Ali Akbar Dareini, a researcher at Tehran’s Centre for Strategic Studies, said Iran’s switch to BeiDou was a “genuine” Iranian strategic decision with long-term implications and stemmed from its “bitter experience” relying on Western technology.