Iran has formally lodged a protest with Norway over what Tehran says is the unauthorised operation of Starlink satellite internet on the country’s territory, dpa reports.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned Norway’s ambassador in Tehran and handed him an official note of protest.
Iranian officials accused the United States and Israel of using the Starlink satellite system to “interfere” in Iran’s affairs. Tehran also said Norway is failing to meet its obligations as the country responsible for registering the Starlink satellite network with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
According to the Iranian side, decisions by the ITU Council require Norway to take steps to prevent the unauthorised transmission of Starlink signals on Iranian territory.
Iranian officials are demanding that Oslo take immediate action to halt Starlink operations, which they view as a direct violation of Iran’s national sovereignty and security.
In March, Iranian authorities reported the detention of 30 people accused of spying for Israel and the United States. Iranian security forces also said they had seized weapons and Starlink terminals from them.
- The Starlink system is banned in Iran. At the same time, an estimated 50,000 terminals may have entered the country via smuggling routes.