Putin Describes Washington Post’s Report on Iranian Spy Satellite Deal as Fake News

Russian President Vladimir Putin described as ‘fake news” and "nonsense" a Washington Post report that Russia is preparing to supply Iran with an advanced satellite that will allow Tehran to track military targets in the Middle East, even those in Israel.

In an interview given to American Channel, NBC News, the President said: "We have plans for cooperation with Iran, including military-technical cooperation." As for the newspaper report, Putin said: "This is just fake news. At least I don't know anything about it, those who are talking about it probably know more about it. It's just nonsense, rubbish."

 Earlier this week, Washington Post reported that the United States and some countries in the Middle East are concerned that the advanced satellite system to be supplied by Russia to Iran will significantly increase Iran's ability to obtain information about military facilities in the region.

 The publication sourced the story to current and former officials in the United States and the Middle East, who claimed to have information about the details of the Russian-Iranian agreement. One of the anonymous sources was quoted as saying that the satellite system "will give Tehran an unprecedented opportunity to track potential military targets in the Middle East and beyond."

Sources note that in accordance with the agreement, Russia must supply the Iranians with a Russian-made Kanopus-V satellite equipped with a high-resolution camera.

"This will significantly increase Iran's espionage capabilities by allowing continuous monitoring of facilities ranging from oil refineries in the Persian Gulf and Israeli military bases to Iraqi barracks, which house US troops," said The Washington Post.

A space industry source told defenseworld.net Iran has launched its first military reconnaissance satellite, Nour in April this year. Images of U.S. aircraft carriers and that of its  facilites in the Persian Gulf, region claimed to be from that satellite, have been published in the Iranian media. Besides, Iran is cash-strapped and has been behind its payments to the United Nations. In this context, it may not need or be able to afford a Russian satellite so soon.