Italy tests Starlink in Iran embassy in bid to override internet restrictions

Italy has installed Starlink antennas in four high-risk embassies, including one in Iran, as part of a test phase amid Tehran's internet restrictions, a government minister confirmed on Thursday.

Officials insist no national security contract has been signed with Elon Musk's company while the trial is piloted in four countries known for limiting internet freedom.

“Some experiments with Starlink satellite systems were started at diplomatic offices in Burkina Faso, Bangladesh, Lebanon, and Iran, which were therefore equipped with Starlink antennas, although none are active to date," Luca Ciriani, Italy’s Minister for Parliamentary Relations, was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Ciriani clarified that the antennas were installed purely for testing purposes. "The procedure is that the antennas are activated only to test their functioning and are then suspended with the aim of reactivating them only when necessary," he said.

Italy's government is seeking encrypted communication solutions for officials operating in high-risk areas.

Starlink, operated by Musk’s SpaceX, is one of the companies under consideration. However, opposition parties have raised concerns about the involvement of Musk, citing his close political ties to US President Donald Trump.

Ciriani pushed back against security concerns, stressing that the antennas would not be used for classified communications. He also underscored that the installations were arranged through third-party companies. "There has been no entrustment of the country's critical infrastructure to Starlink," he said.

Starlink's role in Iran has grown significantly over recent years. The number of its users in the country has now surpassed 100,000, according to Pouya Pirhosseinlou, head of the Internet and Infrastructure Committee at Iran’s E-Commerce Association.

"Over 30,000 unique users are utilizing satellite internet, suggesting that the total number of satellite internet users exceeds 100,000," Pirhosseinlou told Iran's ILNA news agency earlier this year.

Starlink gained prominence in Iran following the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests, which erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. The Iranian government responded with internet blackouts and widespread censorship, prompting citizens to turn to satellite services like Starlink and virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass restrictions.

Despite being officially prohibited in Iran, Starlink’s appeal lies in its unrestricted access and high-speed service—an alternative to the heavily filtered and controlled local internet where Iran ranks among the world's lowest for internet freedom, according to Freedom House.

The US government’s 2022 decision to lift certain restrictions allowed SpaceX to provide Starlink access in Iran, offering a lifeline for digital freedom.

However, the service has also faced backlash from Iranian authorities who argue that its high costs drain foreign currency and undermine domestic internet infrastructure. The government has even lobbied the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to restrict Starlink's coverage over Iran.