【By Guan察者网, Yuan Jiaqi】

According to the semi-official news agency "Youth Journalists' Club" (YJC) under Iran's Islamic Republic Broadcasting Authority (IRIB), on October 4 local time, Vahid Yazdanian, director of the Iranian Space Research Institute affiliated with the country's Ministry of Communications, stated that frequent GPS signal interference has posed a significant challenge for Iran, and therefore the country must develop an independent national satellite navigation network to reduce reliance on foreign service providers.

To address short-term difficulties, Yazdanian revealed that Iran is discussing a shift from American GPS to China's satellite navigation system.

"Its (China's navigation system) security will definitely be better," he said, "we have been in discussions with Chinese authorities, hoping to use their satellite navigation system, and this proposal seems to be achievable within one to two years."

"Of course, the ultimate solution is to independently design, build, and launch our own navigation satellites," Yazdanian added, stating that within three to five years, Iran must have its own domestic satellite navigation system.

According to the report, Yazdanian emphasized the necessity of designing and launching an autonomous satellite system. He believed that this move is a long-term solution to address positioning interference and enhance the security of the country's critical infrastructure.

When asked about the recent frequent GPS failures in the country, he replied, "We do not believe these failures are related to satellite performance, but rather due to the lack of a domestic satellite navigation system. Unfortunately, in recent years, we did not take serious measures to develop domestic navigation satellites, but continued to use foreign satellites that often fail."

He added, "Of course, this issue is not only relevant to us; other countries around the world have also not taken substantial actions. Some countries have started considering developing their own navigation satellites for less than a year. In this field, China has been ahead for several years; in the past year, Japan and the United Kingdom have also entered this field."

"We have no choice but to move toward the direction of independently developing a satellite navigation system," Yazdanian told the Iranian media, adding that the country is still using GPS at present.

Director of the Iranian Space Research Institute Vahid Yazdanian, screenshot from YJC video

Media outlets such as Al Jazeera previously reported that during the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict in June this year, there were multiple instances of GPS signal disruptions in Iran and related waters, exposing the weaknesses of Iran's reliance on U.S.-controlled infrastructure. The assassination of several Iranian nuclear scientists and senior military commanders by Israel has also raised concerns about the penetration of communication systems.

The South China Morning Post reported on August that Iran, deeply troubled, is formulating a plan to migrate its location services, exploring the adoption of China's BeiDou satellite navigation system.

According to an earlier report by Iran International Television (iranintl), Ehsan Tchitsaz, Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Iran, had confirmed in July when interviewed by Iranian media that Iran is seeking alternatives to GPS. He said, "For example, the BeiDou system, which has already been proposed in contact with China."

According to Tchitsaz, the Iranian government is developing plans to gradually migrate the positioning systems in key areas such as traffic navigation, agricultural monitoring, and the Internet of Things from GPS to the BeiDou system.

He also said, "The BeiDou system not only has an advanced architecture and high positioning accuracy, but also has a significant coverage advantage in the Asian region. Moreover, its control is entirely in China's hands, not controlled by the United States."

Analysts pointed out that Iran's decision is not just a technical choice, but also reflects global concerns about dependence on Western technological infrastructure, indicating that the era of blindly and naively relying on U.S.-controlled infrastructure is coming to an end. Hong Kong media also cited analysts' views, saying that Iran's move may further expand China's technological influence in the Middle East.

Some people believe that Iran's shift to using the BeiDou system may attract more countries in the region to deepen cooperation with China. Some Gulf countries maintain close relations with the United States while actively cooperating with China. For example, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have been purchasing Chinese military equipment and welcome China's artificial intelligence and 5G high-tech industries.

Enrico Fardella, professor at the University of Naples Oriental, and part-time professor at the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University, added that this trend also means that the competition between Chinese and American technology in the Middle East is becoming increasingly intense.

"Today's Middle East seems to be becoming a new technological 'battlefield'—not through bases or bombs, but through satellites and networks," he said.

The "2025 China Satellite Navigation and Positioning Industry Development White Paper" shows that BeiDou-related services and products have now been exported to more than 140 countries and regions. As a core supplier of global satellite navigation systems recognized by the United Nations, the BeiDou system has fully entered the standard systems of 11 international organizations, including civil aviation, maritime, and mobile communications, continuously expanding its international "friendship circle."

Previously, some foreign media claimed that the BeiDou system is challenging the global position of the U.S. GPS system. In response, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning stated that China's scientific and technological innovation and industrial development does not target anyone, and the BeiDou system is also the BeiDou of the world. China will continue to adhere to open cooperation and mutual benefit, working with other countries to make more advanced scientific and technological achievements serve the people and benefit humanity.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7557727522323038756/

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