{"id":2742,"date":"2026-06-23T10:12:57","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T10:12:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reliablemovingcrews.com\/?p=2742"},"modified":"2026-06-23T10:12:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T10:12:57","slug":"israel-smuggled-starlink-systems-into-iran-former-pm-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reliablemovingcrews.com\/?p=2742","title":{"rendered":"Israel smuggled Starlink systems into Iran, former PM says"},"content":{"rendered":"
JERUSALEM, June 23 (Reuters) – A former Israeli prime minister acknowledged on Tuesday that Israel had smuggled Starlink internet receivers into Iran \u200bto help anti-government protesters, though he said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s \u200cgovernment failed to follow through on the plans.<\/div>
Naftali Bennett, who served as prime minister in 2021 to 2022, told an audience at the JNS International Policy Summit in \u200bJerusalem that he had initiated a “process of acquiring and smuggling into \u200bIran tens of thousands of Starlink receptors that would allow \u2060continuity of the internet and social networks”.<\/div>
Starlink, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX (SPCX.O)<\/svg>, opens new tab<\/span>, \u200bprovides satellite internet connections. Iran has previously accused Israel and the United States \u200bof smuggling in the devices to undermine its security. Starlink is not licensed to operate in Iran but Musk has previously said the service is active there.<\/div>
Bennett said the \u200bdevices were intended to enable protesters to coordinate and ultimately topple the \u200bIranian government.<\/div>
“Unfortunately, the current incompetent Israeli government stopped doing that,” he said. “And when the protest \u200chappened, \u2060that infrastructure was not there.”<\/div>
Netanyahu\u2019s office did not immediately respond to questions on Bennett\u2019s remarks and SpaceX was not available for comment outside U.S. business hours.<\/div>
Iranian authorities have shut down the public\u2019s access to the internet during periods \u200bof unrest, including \u200bduring deadly nationwide \u2060protests in January and throughout the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran that began at the end of February.<\/div>
Reuters \u200bhas previously reported that some Iranians turned to Starlink<\/svg>, opens new tab<\/span> during \u200binternet blackouts.<\/div>
Bennett, \u2060leader of a right-wing party and one of several opposition politicians vying to replace Netanyahu in an election due by October, said that if he returned \u2060to office \u200bhe would work to undermine Iran’s government \u200bwith the aim of toppling it. That could include measures short of direct military attacks such \u200bas economic and industrial sabotage, he said.<\/div>