Israel's UN envoy offers Starlink terminal to Iranian diplomat after Netanyahu's UNGA speech

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, offered a Starlink satellite internet terminal to an Iranian diplomat on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, in a staged gesture following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address.

Danon approached Iranian diplomat Nasser Asadi holding the device — the same one Netanyahu had displayed during his General Assembly speech — and urged him to take it back to Tehran, Israel National News reported.

“Take the Starlink to Tehran. It could be very useful for you in Iran, helping the Iranian people gain their freedom,” Danon said. He added: “We love the Iranian people and we pray for regime change. That day will come.”

Asadi did not respond and walked away without accepting the device. Danon later posted footage of the exchange on X with the caption: “The Iranian representative didn’t want the starlink :(”, the Times of Israel reported.

Netanyahu told the General Assembly that Starlink could help ordinary Iranians bypass state internet censorship, and offered to leave such devices for Iranian diplomats willing to defect, according to NDTV.

The exchange came amid intense political tension between Israel and Iran.