The Netherlands has accused Iran of breaching diplomatic protocols after a senior official was forced to open his bags at Tehran airport.

Iran claimed it had found satellite communications equipment in a package being carried by André van Wiggen, a foreign office official based at the embassy in Tehran, on January 28.

Van Wiggen refused to allow his bags to be scanned, claiming diplomatic immunity, at which point they were seized and taken into a side room for inspection.

The Dutch foreign ministry called the incident on January 28 “unacceptable” and summoned the Iranian ambassador for an explanation.

The two countries had been holding talks to resolve the dispute behind the scenes, but on Monday Iranian state TV released video footage showing showing border guards opening the parcel despite Dutch protests that it was a “diplomatic shipment”.

“The Iranian side has broken the silence by leaking these images,” the foreign office told national broadcaster NOS. “We regret this and it has given us a reason to summon the Iranian ambassador to the ministry this afternoon [February 24].”

The images appeared to show the package contained a portable Starlink modem and several satellite phones. Satellite communications technology is banned in Iran under the regime’s efforts to control the internet.

The Dutch government said Iran’s version of events was “factually incorrect”, but would not confirm the identity of the official or say what was in the package.

“It is Iran that is not complying with the agreements set out in the Vienna Convention regarding diplomatic communications,” the foreign office said.

Under the 1961 Vienna Convention, diplomatic post is protected to allow governments to communicate with their overseas missions without interference from the host country.

It cannot be confiscated and can only be opened in exceptional circumstances with the consent of the carrying country and in the presence of its officials.

Relations between The Hague and Tehran have been fraught in recent years. Last April the Dutch ambassador was summoned after the security service’s annual report claimed that the Iranian regime was likely to be behind two attempted assassinations in the Netherlands and Spain.