Danon gives Starlink to Iranian envoy after Netanyahu speech

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, approached Iran's representative at the General Assembly last night and handed him a Starlink device, the satellite internet system that Tehran's regime blocks from its own citizens.

"Take the Starlink to Tehran," Danon told the Iranian envoy, according to reports from the scene. "It could be very useful for you in Iran to allow the Iranian people to win their freedom."

The gesture came minutes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the assembly and held up a Starlink device of his own. Starlink units, which provide satellite internet access, have become a key tool in countries where governments attempt to block citizens' access to information. Iran's regime has fought to keep the devices out of the country, viewing them as a threat to its control over what Iranians can see and say online.

Danon did not stop at the practical message. "We love the Iranian people and pray for regime change," the ambassador added. "That day will come."

Earlier in his speech, Netanyahu had displayed a Starlink device to the assembly and said the Iranian regime "is especially afraid that people will have a communication device that allows people access to truth, to choice, freedom of thought and freedom of expression. I will leave this device so you can give it to the Iranian delegation, when they defect, they too will be able to tell their story on social media."

He added: "One day, and it will not be long, the Iranian people will be freed. This regime will fall and we will all celebrate that day."

Netanyahu's visit to New York was unusually brief this time, just a few hours, centered on the General Assembly address. The Prime Minister's Office explained the short stay as driven by security considerations and the need to return before Sukkos.

Starlink devices have become a sensitive issue in Iran. Earlier this year, Iranian media reported the seizure of a European diplomat's suitcase suspected of containing satellite communication equipment. The regime views these devices as a threat to its grip on the information reaching its citizens.

In Ukraine, Starlink units have become a central tool in the war. Earlier this year, a Ukrainian cyber unit was reported to have run a sophisticated operation in which it tricked Russian soldiers attempting to restore connection to Starlink satellites, collecting sensitive intelligence from them.

Danon's gesture sends a clear message: Israel supports the Iranian people and their right to free information, even as it remains in confrontation with the regime ruling in Tehran.