Planet Labs hides Iran satellite images at US request
Photo: War in Iran (Getty Images)
Planet Labs, a commercial satellite imagery company, announced that it is temporarily restricting access to images of Iran and conflict zones in the Middle East at the request of the US government, according to Reuters.
The American company Planet Labs announced on Saturday that it would temporarily restrict the revealing of satellite imagery of Iran and conflict zones in the Middle East.
The decision was made at the request of the US government and is intended to prevent the use of these images by adversaries of the United States and its allies.
The company clarifies that images will be released only in cases of urgent need or if it is in the public interest.
At the same time, images of hard-to-reach areas remain a valuable resource for the media and researchers, experts note.
Revealing delay extension
Planet Labs had previously imposed a 14-day delay on the release of images of the Middle East, and the new policy effectively extends these restrictions.
The company clarified that images taken since March 9 will be withheld, and the duration of the measures depends on the length of the conflict in the region.
Other providers control
Other satellite data providers, including Vantor, are implementing their own publication controls.
However, the US government has not officially contacted them, Planet Labs emphasized.
Conflict background
Tensions in the region escalated following the US and Israeli strikes on targets in Iran on February 28.
In response, Tehran launched strikes against Israeli targets and US bases in the Persian Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
Iran has announced its readiness to allow free passage through the Strait of Hormuz only for vessels carrying essential goods, while navigation will be restricted for all other vessels.
Iran has warned of possible strikes near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, highlighting the potential radiation threat to the populations of the Persian Gulf countries and drawing parallels with the events at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
