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Russia and Iran have accused Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network of violating international law by operating without authorization in sovereign nations.

Getting into it: During a United Nations meeting held by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, officials from both Russia and Iran publicly criticized Starlink, accusing it of breaching international laws governing space and national sovereignty. The session, held in Vienna, saw both countries raise alarms about how Starlink is being used in ways they consider militarized and unauthorized.

Iran’s delegation focused on a recent incident where Starlink began offering free internet access during a government-imposed communications blackout. Iranian officials claimed this amounted to an “unauthorized military use of a commercial satellite mega-constellation.” They argued that smuggling an estimated 50,000 Starlink terminals into Iran allowed protestors to coordinate and bypass state censorship, which, in Tehran’s view, violated its sovereignty.

Russia’s representatives raised a different but related concern, arguing that Musk’s move to block unauthorized Russian military use of Starlink could itself violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. This treaty, signed by over 100 countries including the US and Russia, mandates that space activities be carried out for the benefit of all humanity. Russian officials argued that allowing a private company to control a mega-constellation with military implications undermines long-term sustainability and equitable access to space. They demanded international talks to restrict the number of such satellites and define clearer rules for dual-use (civilian and military) technologies.

This all comes as Russia faces the fallout from losing access to Starlink on the battlefield in Ukraine. Russian forces had been using smuggled Starlink terminals to coordinate troop movements and drone strikes, especially in areas where their own military communications were unreliable or jammed. But after talks between Ukraine’s defense ministry and Elon Musk, SpaceX moved to shut down those unauthorized connections. Musk confirmed the action on X, writing, “Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorized use of Starlink by Russia have worked.”

The blackout has severely disrupted Russian military communications, prompting frustration from pro-war bloggers and forcing troops to scramble for slower, less effective backup systems.

Despite the controversy, neither Musk nor SpaceX has issued an official response to the accusations made at the UN meeting.