Starlink Terminals Are Being Smuggled Into Blacked-Out Iran
For more than two months, Iran has been in digital darkness as the government maintains one of the longest-running national internet shutdowns ever recorded worldwide. Now, a covert operation is pushing back. A clandestine network is actively smuggling Starlink terminals into Iran, offering residents a rare and risky window to the outside world. The story of Starlink smuggled into Iran’s internet blackout has been investigated and reported by BBC.
The satellite service, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, operates in more than 120 countries but banned in Iran. The shutdown, which began after US and Israeli strikes on February 28, has been accompanied by a widening crackdown on VPNs and satellite terminals, according to internet monitor NetBlocks. One member of the network, identified only as Sahand to protect his identity, told the BBC he has sent a dozen terminals into Iran since January and that the network is actively searching for new smuggling routes.
Prison Terms Have Not Stopped the Operation
The legal stakes could not be higher. Last year, the Iranian government passed legislation making using, buying, or selling Starlink devices punishable by up to two years in prison. Distributing or importing more than 10 devices can carry up to 10 years. Despite this, the operation continues, funded entirely by Iranians abroad with no state backing. Each terminal can support multiple users simultaneously, turning a single device into a small but powerful communications hub.
The Iranian Minister of Communications acknowledged that the shutdown was costing the economy $35.7 million a day, with indirect costs pushing the true daily impact closer to $80 million. Human rights organisation Witness estimated at least 50,000 Starlink terminals are already inside Iran, with activists saying the number has likely grown as Starlink smuggled into Iran’s internet blackout continues to be the only reliable link to the outside world.
