By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trumpon Friday posted on Twitter a photo of what appeared to be thesite of a failed Iranian satellite launch, raising questionsabout whether he had disclosed U.S. surveillance secrets.
The black-and-white photo showed the fire-blasted launchsite at a space center in northern Iran including a damagedgantry service tower and a downed mobile erector launcher.
Trump, in his tweet, cited the specific location of thesite, saying the United States was not involved in the"catastrophic accident during final launch preparations for theSafir SLV Launch at Semnan Launch Site One in Iran."
Speaking to reporters at the White House later on Friday,Trump defended his posting of the photo and reiterated that theUnited States had nothing to do with the incident.
"We had a photo. I released it, which I have the absoluteright to do," Trump said.
He said the Iranians "were going to set off a big missileand it didn't work out too well. Had nothing to do with us.”
The rocket exploded on its launch pad on Thursday, anIranian official said. A U.S. official also said Iran suffered asatellite launch failure.
"I wish Iran best wishes and good luck in determining whathappened at Site One," Trump said in his tweet.
Patrick Eddington, a former CIA satellite imagery analyst,said the photograph tweeted by Trump appeared to be a classifiedimage taken by a U.S. spy satellite.
"If the president simply tweeted out an image fromclassified briefing that utilizes our most advanced overheadcollection capabilities, it is no doubt welcome news to ouradversaries," said Eddington, now a research fellow at the CATOInstitute.
"While he has the authority to declassify any federaldocument, Twitter is not a legitimate or responsible way to doso."
A U.S. defense official told CNBC that the picture, whichappeared to be a snapshot of a physical copy of the satelliteimage, was included in an intelligence briefing on Friday.
The Pentagon did not have any immediate comment.
The United States has warned Iran against rocket launches,fearful the technology used to put satellites into orbit couldenable Tehran to develop the ballistic missile capability neededto launch nuclear warheads.
Tehran denies the U.S. accusation that such activity is acover for ballistic missile development.
The Trump administration has ratcheted up economic pressureon Iran this year with economic sanctions to try to force it torenegotiate a pact reached with world powers in 2015 limitingits nuclear program. Trump withdrew the United States from thepact in May last year.
Trump has offered to hold talks with Iran but Tehran saysfirst it must get relief from U.S. sanctions.(Reporting by Steve Holland; additional reporting by JeffMason, Jonathan Landay and Tim Ahmann; Editing by Mary Millikenand Grant McCool)