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Comment by dylan604 | Hacker News Reader

Why is it assumed that they cannot get that information in other ways? If only they had an ally with satellite imaging capabilities that have a vested interest in seeing the US struggle. Sure, they can tune into CNN and see what's being said there too, but to assume that's their sole source of information is just farcical.

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Iran reportedly bought[1] a TEE-01B satellite from China in 2024, giving them quite detailed images directly with ~half meter (~1.7 feet) resolution[2]. Granted they reportedly also got help from Chinese ground stations.

So they could probably just check themselves how it was going, unless they wanted rapid feedback I suppose.

[1]: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/iran-used-chinese-spy-sa...

[2]: https://thedefensewatch.com/product/tee-01b-earth-observatio...

There's a limit to how many photos you can take with somebody else's satellite. Even if the russkies are complying with every Iranian request, that would at least serve to deny russia the ability to use their own surveillance resources to their fullest potential.

Don't satellites have very limited abilities to change their orbits? A request for Iran would be for Russia to photograph something when the Russian satellite is in the area anyway. Unless Russia happened to want to concentrate on something else in that area this shouldn't impede their own surveillance.

Also, I'd expect that everything Iran wants to see Russia also wants to see.

At this point, China would be interested as well. If Xi decides to get on the despot raiding party bus, he'd like to know how effective Iran's capabilities have been on US assets. At this point, North Korea might be looking south too.

Huh? Satellites follow fixed orbits, they don't get moved around to fly over a specific location. They can take images of everything they pass over.

Not everything at once. The lens needs to be angled.

If only other countries just gave away their sovereignty then we wouldn't have to preemptively take away their sovereignty because if we don't then they will do it to us. If we don't instigate war then it will come to us and our stocks won't go up and contracts dry up.

This allegedly ally has likely considered all the potential advantages and disadvantages and is acting accordingly. Sometimes the smartest move one can make is no move at all.

how's that working out in Ukraine?

What do you mean by "that?"

that = "no move at all"

You seem very confused. Who are you referring to as having made ‘no move’ in Ukraine?

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