Arabic version: شركة بلانت لابز توقف تصوير الأقمار الصناعية بسبب النزاع في إيران
Planet Labs, a US satellite imaging company, has announced it will indefinitely withhold images of Iran and the surrounding conflict region. This decision follows a request from the Trump administration aimed at preventing adversaries from utilizing satellite imagery for military purposes.
According to Al Jazeera, the company communicated this policy change to its customers via email on Saturday. Previously, Planet Labs had already implemented a 14-day delay on imagery of the Middle East, which built on an initial 96-hour delay.
The current blackout will affect imagery dating back to March 9 and is expected to remain in place until the conclusion of the ongoing conflict, which began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched aerial attacks against Iran. The situation has escalated, with Iran responding through missile and drone strikes against US and Israeli targets, as well as civilian infrastructure in the Gulf region.
Planet Labs, founded in 2010 by former NASA scientists, stated that it would shift to a “managed distribution of images” that are deemed safe for release. Under this new protocol, imagery will be released selectively for urgent, mission-critical needs or matters of public interest.
The use of satellite technology in military operations includes applications such as target identification and missile tracking. Experts note that Iran may still access commercial satellite imagery from other sources, including those provided by US adversaries, raising concerns about the broader implications of such restrictions on information access.
