Israel's UN Envoy Offers Iran Starlink, Envoy Refuses

Minutes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented a Starlink satellite internet device during his UN address, Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, approached the Iranian representative to hand over the device. The Iranian diplomat appeared flustered, turned away, and refused to accept the satellite communication tool.

Danon then directly addressed the Iranian diplomat, stating, "Take the Starlink to Tehran. This could be a very useful tool for you in Iran to allow your people to gain their freedom." He continued, "We love the Iranian people and pray for regime change, and that day will come."

The confrontation occurred in the hallways of the UN General Assembly in New York shortly after Netanyahu's speech. The Prime Minister had used the Starlink device to illustrate the Iranian regime's fear of free expression, explaining that it provides access to truth and freedom of thought, which is why the regime invests heavily in internet censorship.

Netanyahu had initially offered the device to the Iranian delegation, stating he would leave it for them so they could "freely tell their stories on the networks" when they inevitably defect.

The incident followed a provocation by the Iranian delegation, who left the hall during Netanyahu's speech and placed a picture of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force killed in 2020, on their empty seats.

Starlink systems, operating via low-Earth orbit satellites, provide high-speed internet that bypasses government-controlled terrestrial infrastructure. This technology is seen as a direct threat to the Iranian regime's suppression mechanisms, particularly after the regime imposed a near-total digital blockade during widespread protests in early 2026.