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BREAKING
Iranian media: Documents indicate that Merav Zafary-Odiz was tasked with stoking confusion about Iran's peaceful nuclear program
Iranian media: The documents indicate that Merav Odiz was tasked with diverting world opinion away from "Israel's" non-peaceful nuclear program
Iranian media: Documents reveal direct coordination between the Zionist entity's representative, Merav Zafary-Odiz, and Grossi
Iranian media: One document reveals that Merav Zafary-Odiz, "Israel's" representative at the agency, requested an immediate meeting with Grossi on May 10, 2016
Iranian media: One document reveals coordination between the [Israeli] entity and Grossi to incite tensions against Iran just five months after the nuclear agreement was concluded
Iranian media: Documents confirm that Grossi began his cooperation with the entity in 2016 and coordinated reports against Iran's peaceful nuclear activities
Iranian media on released documents seized from "Israel": The special relationship between the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Zionist entity began upon the arrival of the current IAEA Director General, Rafael Grossi
Fars: The released documents show that IAEA chief Grossi has been completely coordinating with "Israel" and has been carrying out "Israel's" orders
Fars News Agency publishes first batch of documents that the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence seized through its intelligence operation
Joint statement: Iran, in response to the IAEA decision, will replace first-generation centrifuges at the Fordow nuclear facility with advanced sixth-generation centrifuges

China balloon collected critical military data back in Feb: NBC

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 3 Apr 2023 18:50
3 Min Read

NBC news reported today that the Chinese balloon which had caused a fiasco earlier this year allegedly managed to successfully collect critical data from several military sites with the Biden administration failing to prevent the covert espionage mission.

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  • US Navy experts recover the high-altitude Chinese surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina,February 2023 (AP)
    US Navy experts recover the high-altitude Chinese surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, February 2023 (AP)

NBC news reported today that the Chinese balloon which had caused a fiasco earlier this year reportedly managed to successfully collect critical data from several military sites with the Biden administration failing to prevent the covert espionage mission.

The data was reportedly collected through electronic signals, which can be picked up from weapons systems or through communications from base personnel, rather than images, the informed sources told NBC. 

Read more:  Chinese balloon poses no threat to people on ground: Pentagon   

Back in early February, The Pentagon had reported that the balloon "does not pose a physical threat to people on the ground." On the espionage potential of the balloon, they assessed "Clearly, it is a balloon that has a payload underneath it… It's got a large payload – the surveillance component – underneath the actual balloon piece of it." 

The balloon was later shot down by a US fighter jet. Afterward, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reported that the balloon had been used by China in efforts to "surveil strategic sites" in the US.

Related News

Taiwan claims another eight Chinese balloons detected around island

China slams US claims of espionage as 'complete slander'

Read more: Chinese balloon, among many more, part of aerial spy program: US intel

It was later reported by the Washington Post citing several US officials, that the US intelligence believes that the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon, which has been shot down by the US military, was part of a vast surveillance program of China's People's Liberation Army. 

According to officials, balloons belonging to China have been located over five continents. It was also relayed that allies of the US believed to be a target of the ‘spy’ balloon have been contacted as well. It was reported by US media, quoting a senior administration official that a briefing was conducted by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on the matter for around 40 embassies.

Read more: US disguised aerial devices as civilian aircrafts to spy on China

Later in February, It was reported that the US army had employed various aircraft to spy on China after disguising them as civilian aerial devices, according to reports by the Global Times. 

Citing a Chinese technology and intelligence company called MizarVision, the report states that the US had used all sorts of spying aerial devices, some of which it disguised as civilian aircraft, including balloons, to conduct its spying operations. 

Some of the aircraft that are frequently deployed to carry out reconnaissance missions include the EP-3E electronic signals reconnaissance plane, the P-8A maritime patrol and reconnaissance plane, the RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, the E-8C airborne command and control plane, and the U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance plane, MizarVision told the Global Times. 

  • Chinese balloon
  • US
  • China

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  • 7 Jun 2025
Iranian demonstrators walk on a caricature of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the annual Quds Day rally in support of Palestinians, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, March 28, 2025 (AP)

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