Clandestine network smuggles Starlink into Iran to bypass internet blackout
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 2
Clandestine network smuggles Starlink into Iran to bypass internet blackout
12 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 2
Sahand says he has sent 12 terminals since January as Iran endures a more than two-month shutdown imposed after 28 February US and Israeli airstrikes.
Using, selling or importing Starlink is illegal and can bring prison terms of up to 10 years, while rights groups estimate at least 100 people have been arrested over the devices.
Activists say Starlink helps Iranians share evidence of repression despite state controls; one estimate put 50,000 terminals in Iran, as blackouts also cost the economy at least 50 trillion rials daily.
As Iran's military jams Starlink signals, can SpaceX's technology win this escalating electronic war?
With Iran attacking foreign data centers, are global tech companies becoming the new front line in state warfare?
In early 2026, Iran imposed a near-total internet blackout affecting 90 million people, drastically crippling its digital economy and threatening millions of jobs. This shutdown intensified during joint U.S.-Israel military strikes, costing billions and isolating citizens. In response, about 50,000 Starlink satellite terminals were smuggled into Iran, becoming vital for communication and sharing uncensored information. The regime countered with harsh laws criminalizing Starlink use and deployed advanced electronic warfare to jam signals, leading to arrests and severe penalties. Despite these risks, activists are diversifying resistance through mesh networks and offline methods, highlighting a fierce struggle between authoritarian control and digital freedom.