Iraq seizes 24 Starlink devices at Baghdad airport, citing ‘import ban’

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s General Customs Authority announced Sunday the seizure of 24 Starlink satellite internet devices found inside a parcel at the air cargo customs center at Baghdad International Airport, describing the equipment as prohibited from importation.

The operation was carried out in coordination with the Iraqi National Intelligence Service, with the support of Customs Police and other security agencies, under directives from General Customs Authority Director Thamer Qasim Dawood to tighten inspection and auditing procedures at customs centers.

While customs authorities described the devices as prohibited imports, publicly available regulations do not appear to include a law that specifically bans Starlink equipment by name. Iraqi authorities have instead treated Starlink terminals as unlicensed telecommunications equipment because the service has not yet received full operating approval in federal Iraq.

In April 2025, Communications and Media Commission Chairman Nawfal Abu Ragheef met with a senior Starlink-SpaceX official to discuss regulatory requirements, with the commission citing Law No. 65 of 2004, which governs telecommunications services in Iraq and requires compliance with regulations protecting the country’s radio-frequency spectrum. Licensing discussions included resolving “unlicensed uses” of the service and addressing related technical and legal issues before launch.

Iraq has simultaneously continued negotiations with SpaceX over bringing Starlink to the country. In May 2025, then-Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met a SpaceX delegation to discuss cooperation in Iraq’s communications sector and directed relevant authorities to facilitate procedures related to the company’s entry into the Iraqi market. The delegation said Starlink was prepared to begin operations in Iraq after obtaining official licenses.