Iran summons Norway envoy over alleged Starlink operations

TEHRAN: Iran has summoned Norway’s ambassador in Tehran and lodged a formal protest over what it described as unauthorized Starlink satellite internet activities inside Iranian territory, escalating tensions over the use of satellite communications in the country.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Director General Mohammad Hassan Nejad Pir-Kouhi summoned Norwegian Ambassador Paul Bjornstad on Sunday, according to Iran International. The Norwegian envoy was handed an official protest note concerning Starlink’s reported operations.

The Iranian official accused the United States and Israel of systematically using Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, for what Tehran described as interventionist activities against Iran.

The dispute centers on Starlink’s ability to provide internet connectivity without relying on Iran’s conventional telecommunications infrastructure. Iranian authorities have long viewed the service as a challenge to their control over communications, particularly during periods of internet restrictions and political unrest.

Iran’s latest protest also focuses on Norway’s role within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations agency responsible for global telecommunications coordination.

According to the Iranian official, Norway is the registered country associated with Starlink’s services at the international telecommunications level and therefore has legal responsibilities regarding the service’s operations.

Nejad Pir-Kouhi said decisions by the ITU’s Radio Regulations Board require Norway to take steps to prevent unauthorized Starlink transmissions within Iranian territory. He alleged that Oslo had failed to fulfill those obligations despite repeated requests from Tehran.

Iran has argued that unauthorized satellite communications threaten both its national security and territorial sovereignty.

The ITU has previously considered Iran’s concerns regarding Starlink. In an earlier review, the organization noted that Starlink terminals inside Iran had been able to establish satellite transmissions and connect to an internet exchange outside the country. The ITU also recorded that Iran had not granted a license for Starlink services within its territory.

Starlink has remained particularly controversial in Iran because the service can bypass conventional internet restrictions. Reports in 2026 indicated that some Iranians continued using Starlink during nationwide communications blackouts despite government efforts to block or disrupt the service.

The latest diplomatic summons adds another layer to the growing international dispute over satellite internet, sovereignty and access to information, placing Norway and Starlink at the center of Tehran’s latest diplomatic protest.