Iran Becomes First Country to Effectively Disable Elon Musk’s Starlink Internet

Iran has become the first country to effectively shut down Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet, using military-grade jammers to disrupt the service—a move analysts are calling unprecedented and highly significant.

According to Iran War reports, while thousands of Starlink units are installed across the country, the satellite connections are now severely disrupted. Initially, around 30% of Starlink uplink and downlink traffic was affected, but within a few hours, the disruption reportedly escalated to over 80%.

The Times of Israel reported that the number of Starlink receivers in Iran is higher than ever before. However, the Iranian government has never approved the use of Starlink, meaning the service is considered illegal within the country.

Starlink receivers rely on GPS signals to maintain satellite connectivity. Times of Israel noted that since last year’s 12-day conflict with Israel in June, Iran has been actively disrupting GPS signals. The resulting impact on Starlink service varies by region, with some areas experiencing partial connectivity and others near-complete blackouts.

In the midst of the country’s ongoing unrest, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has assured that internet services will be restored soon. On Monday, he stated that the government is working closely with relevant security agencies to reinstate digital connectivity. He further confirmed that internet access will be re-established in foreign embassies and government ministries in the near future.

The internet blackout comes amid nationwide protests that began on December 28 over soaring prices of essential goods and severe inflation. The Iranian authorities have kept internet services largely offline for the past four days in an effort to suppress the anti-government demonstrations, which have now spread across multiple cities.