Two Foreigners Arrested in Iran for Importing Starlink Devices

Four individuals, including two ​foreign nationals, were arrested ‌in Iran’s northwest on charges related to the importation of Starlink devices.

According to Reuters, an Iranian media outlet said that a local prosecutor on Sunday disclosed that the individuals were arrested for being part ⁠of a “U.S.-Israel-linked espionage ​network.”

The foreigners, whose ​nationality was not disclosed, are accused of importing ​satellite internet equipment ​such as Starlink, which is ‌a ⁠criminal offence in the country, which has faced seven ​weeks ​of ⁠an internet blackout.

The prosecutors said that the suspects, arrested in the city of Jolfa in East Azerbaijan province, were involved in “importing satellite internet equipment” and were arrested by security forces.

He said the two were part of “a network accused of intelligence cooperation with groups linked to the United States and Israel”.

The two Iranian nationals were arrested in connection with the case, including one who “attempted to send information to hostile satellite networks” and another allegedly involved in intelligence activities, it added.

Iran has been largely cut off from the global internet since the start of the war with Israel and the United States on February 28.

Satellite internet services such as Starlink are officially banned in the country.