WANA (Feb 25) – The government of Netherlands has summoned the ambassador of Iran in The Hague, signaling a diplomatic dispute over luggage seized at Tehran’s main international airport.

 

In a statement released Tuesday, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that on January 28, 2026, a Dutch diplomat was compelled to surrender his suitcases for inspection upon arrival at Imam Khomeini International Airport. The ministry described the incident as “unacceptable” and characterized it as a diplomatic breach.

 

According to The Hague, Dutch authorities have repeatedly called on Tehran to immediately return the confiscated items, though no detailed description of the goods was provided in the official statement. The ministry also noted that the Iranian ambassador was summoned after footage of the incident was published online by Iranian sources.

 

Iranian media reports offer a different angle, stating that the dispute began when the Dutch diplomat refused to place his luggage through the airport’s X-ray scanner. As a result, the bags were temporarily seized. Reports indicate that the diplomat subsequently left the luggage behind and departed Iran shortly thereafter.

 

Iranian sources further claim that when another Dutch diplomat later sought to retrieve the suitcase, its contents were found to include a portable Starlink modem and several satellite phones—equipment that is often considered sensitive in countries with strict telecommunications regulations and national security concerns.