A covert network is sneaking Starlink internet terminals into Iran, according to a BBC investigation, offering a digital lifeline in a country under tight online control.
The satellite service, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, operates in more than 120 countries but is 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, says internet monitor NetBlocks.
The compact, flat terminals – paired with routers – connect directly to satellites, allowing users to bypass the state’s heavily restricted internet. The report describes a “very complex operation” in which buyers move devices across borders through clandestine channels.
One member of the network, identified as Sahand, told the BBC he had sent a dozen terminals into Iran since January. “If even one extra person is able to access the internet, I think it's successful," he was quoted as saying. The effort was funded by Iranians abroad and aimed at helping people share information from inside the country, he added.
Earlier reports in January said the US had facilitated the smuggling of thousands of Starlink units to help protesters stay online during shutdowns.
Human rights groups say such access has enabled footage of arrests and alleged abuses to emerge despite restrictions, including during a crackdown in which more than 6,500 protesters were reportedly killed and tens of thousands detained.
Human rights group Witness estimated at least 50,000 terminals were already in Iran at the start of the year, with activists saying the figure has likely climbed since. Despite the legal risks and arrests, a black market for the devices continues to expand.
