Iran Summons Norway Envoy Over Starlink, Threatens 5-Year Jail Terms as War Curbs Internet
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Oct 14
Iran Summons Norway Envoy Over Starlink, Threatens 5-Year Jail Terms as War Curbs Internet
2 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Oct 14
Summary
October 4 saw Iran summon Norway’s ambassador over what Tehran called unauthorized Starlink operations, while officials vowed to keep blocking the satellite service and tighten internet restrictions.
Starlink is banned as a national security threat, with officials calling it a “tool of war” used for command, control and espionage; using a terminal can bring 6 months to 2 years in prison, and importing one up to 5 years.
Iran says it can disrupt terminals with jammers, spoofed GPS signals and patrols or drone searches, as tens of thousands of devices are believed to have been smuggled into the country since 2022.
Two nationwide shutdowns in 2026 — 3 weeks in January protests and 88 days early in the war — have left many of Iran’s 90 million people reliant on a heavily filtered domestic internet and VPNs.
State media also published a long-delayed internet policy that floated possible access changes for WhatsApp and Google Play, but offered no timeline as officials warned more curbs could come if the war intensifies.