Iran ditches GPS for China's BeiDou after alleged targeting by Israel, U.S.
By isabelle // 2025-07-31
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  • Iran plans to replace GPS with China’s BeiDou due to suspected U.S.-Israel GPS disruptions targeting its military and leaders.
  • Critical sectors like transport and agriculture will transition to BeiDou, signaling a shift toward Chinese tech influence.
  • Recent GPS jamming in the Persian Gulf reinforced Iran’s fears of Western surveillance and sabotage via navigation systems.
  • BeiDou is part of China’s global strategy, offering Iran digital sovereignty amid U.S. sanctions and geopolitical tensions.
  • The move reflects a broader tech Cold War, with nations choosing between Western systems and authoritarian-aligned alternatives.
Iran is preparing to abandon the U.S.-developed Global Positioning System (GPS) in favor of China’s BeiDou satellite network. The decision follows alarming disruptions to GPS signals during recent conflicts, which Iranian officials believe were orchestrated by Israel and the U.S. to track and target their military and political leaders. Deputy Communications Minister Ehsan Chitsaz confirmed the government is actively developing plans to transition critical sectors—transportation, agriculture, and internet services—to BeiDou, marking a strategic realignment toward Beijing’s technological sphere. This move isn’t just about navigation; it’s a direct challenge to American technological hegemony. For decades, GPS, a Pentagon-born system operated by the U.S. Space Force, has been the backbone of global positioning. But as geopolitical tensions escalate, nations like Iran are racing to sever dependencies on systems they can no longer trust.

A system rigged against sovereignty?

During a 12-day conflict in June, Iranian vessels in the Persian Gulf reported repeated GPS disruptions, crippling navigation and raising suspicions of deliberate sabotage. "At times, disruptions are created on this [GPS] system by internal systems, and this very issue has pushed us toward alternative options like BeiDou," Chitsaz told state media. The incident reinforced long-standing fears in Tehran that reliance on Western tech leaves them vulnerable to surveillance and covert attacks. Whistleblower revelations, including Edward Snowden’s NSA leaks, have exposed how Western intelligence agencies exploit digital infrastructure for global surveillance. Iranian officials argue that GPS, like social media platforms and telecom networks, is a tool of geopolitical control—one that can be weaponized against adversaries. The assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists, allegedly facilitated by location tracking, has only deepened these concerns.

The rise of BeiDou and the new tech cold war

China’s BeiDou system, now a rival to GPS, is more than just a navigation tool; it’s a pillar of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), designed to expand China’s influence through infrastructure and digital dominance. By adopting BeiDou, Iran isn’t just swapping satellites; it’s aligning with an anti-Western tech bloc that includes Russia’s GLONASS and regional alternatives. The implications are staggering. As Al Jazeera noted, Iran’s shift "sends a clear message to other nations grappling with the delicate balance between technological convenience and strategic self-defence: The era of blind, naive dependence on U.S.-controlled infrastructure is rapidly coming to an end." For countries under U.S. sanctions or facing geopolitical pressure, BeiDou offers a tantalizing promise: digital sovereignty. But the transition won’t be seamless. GPS is deeply embedded in Iran’s civilian and military systems, from shipping logistics to farming equipment. Switching to BeiDou requires overhauling hardware, retraining personnel, and ensuring compatibility, which is a costly and complex endeavor. Meanwhile, China gains leverage, embedding its technology into Iran’s critical infrastructure. The GPS jamming crisis has already disrupted global trade. In the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit chokepoint, vessels have faced relentless signal interference, forcing delays and heightened risks. Iran’s pivot to BeiDou mirrors its broader retreat from Western platforms. After urging citizens to ditch WhatsApp over espionage fears, Tehran is accelerating its "National Information Network," a censored intranet modeled after China’s Great Firewall. The goal? A closed, state-controlled digital ecosystem free from Western intrusion. Iran’s rejection of GPS is a microcosm of a larger unraveling. As the U.S. and China vie for supremacy in AI, 5G, and satellite networks, nations are being forced to pick sides. For Iran, the choice is clear: Align with Beijing or remain tethered to systems that could be turned against them. The stakes extend beyond Iran. From Russia to Southeast Asia, countries are hedging against Western tech dominance, opting for systems that promise autonomy, even if it means tighter ties to authoritarian regimes. The result is a fragmented digital landscape where navigation, communication, and data flow along ideological lines. As Iran’s BeiDou gamble shows, the new tech cold war is already here. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com AlJazeera.com CNBC.com
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