A new satellite, which Russia is expected to launch next Tuesday, is expected to greatly improve Iran's ability to spy on military targets across the Middle East.
But before that, Moscow intends to use the satellite itself, to collect information in Ukraine.
This is what security officials in the West told the "Washington Post".
The Russian space agency Roscosmos announced an August 9 launch date for the satellite, which has been nicknamed "Khyam" after a 12th-century Persian mathematician.
Russia has agreed to build for Iran the Canopus-V system, which includes a very high resolution camera, which will give Iran the ability to continuously monitor facilities in Israel and the Persian Gulf.
The announcement of the Russian space agency states that the satellite was developed and built in Russia.
Support from the Russian side.
Putin and Raisi, photo: AFP
However, Iran may not be able to immediately take control of the satellite.
Russia may use the satellite for several months to increase its surveillance of military targets in Ukraine.
The satellite itself will be launched, according to the Russian announcement, using a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur space base in Kazakhstan.
The Russian Space Agency said that the launcher will put "remote sensing equipment into orbit, according to the request of the Islamic Republic of Iran".
Meanwhile, the Biden administration is closely monitoring Iran's satellite efforts, which have progressed in tandem with Iran's development of a more capable missile fleet.
Senior administration officials declined to comment on the pending Russian launch or Moscow's reported intentions to use the satellite.
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