OMM Redaksiyası
Iran has warned against the use of Starlink for military purposes. Mohammad-Amin Aghamiri, head of the country’s National Cyberspace Center and secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, said domestic technologies were being developed to counter cyberthreats linked to the satellite internet service.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, Aghamiri said Starlink was not limited to commercial activity and was displaying military conduct. Attempts to smuggle the equipment into the country, he said, indicated an intent to harm cyberspace and should be treated with caution.
The official claimed Iran had disabled a Starlink terminal during unrest in January. He said this was achieved using just one of numerous technologies developed domestically. Aghamiri also said Iran was ready to share this experience with friendly countries concerned about violations of national sovereignty.
Tehran has filed complaints with UN agency over Starlink
According to Aghamiri, Iran’s Ministry of Information and Communications Technology has filed several complaints with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) regarding Starlink’s operations and SpaceX’s involvement.
He alleged that Norway and SpaceX had failed to comply with ITU resolutions adopted in Iran’s favor. Aghamiri also said the satellites had been used for command and control and espionage during the Israel-US war.
In June 2025, Space Norway, one of Northern Europe’s major satellite operators, announced an agreement with SpaceX to provide satellite communications services in low Earth orbit immediately.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Norway’s ambassador to Tehran, Paal Bjornestad, to lodge an official protest over Starlink’s operations. In a statement issued last week, the ministry accused Oslo of failing to respond effectively to Tehran’s calls to prevent unauthorized Starlink broadcasts in Iranian territory.
Iran says domestic technologies have thwarted cyberattacks
Aghamiri said Iran was facing hybrid warfare involving conventional military operations, economic pressure and cyberattacks. He claimed waves of cyberattacks had preceded military operations but were repelled using domestic technologies.
The official said the National Information Network was being developed to ensure civilians could access services during major threats and international communications outages.
Aghamiri added that Iran’s information and communications technology infrastructure had allowed banking and education services to continue operating despite security threats and disruptions during two military attacks in 2025 and 2026, as well as what he described as an attempted coup in January this year.
Asked about the role of communications technologies in armed conflicts, Aghamiri said any tool or technology used on the battlefield could effectively be considered a military asset. He said whether a company’s technology served peace and communication between people or supported war depended on how it was used.
Asked whether Iran would consider Starlink a legitimate target because of its alleged military use, Aghamiri did not answer directly. He said policy in such cases was based on a careful assessment of the technology’s functionality in the field.
