Iran Prepares Technology to Disrupt Starlink, Calling It an Enemy Weapon

TEHRAN — Iran has vowed to continue taking firm action against the Starlink satellite internet service, amid further restrictions on access to the global internet as the war between the United States and Israel against Iran continues.

Elon Musk’s Starlink, which is not subject to Tehran’s strict censorship and restrictions, has been declared illegal in Iran on national security grounds. Using the satellite internet service or distributing Starlink terminals can incur penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment.

The measure is one of several policies introduced by Iranian authorities since the United States and Israel launched attacks on the country on 28 February. The strikes triggered a protracted war that has damaged the economies on both sides.

Iran’s 90 million residents have experienced two nationwide government-imposed shutdowns of global internet access in 2026. The first lasted three weeks, during a wave of widespread protests in January. The second lasted 88 days in the early stages of the war, which is still under way.

Mohammad Amin Aghamiri, secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace, called Starlink an “enemy’s weapon”, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday, 15 October 2026.

“This is a tool the enemy uses for command and control, as well as espionage and information gathering,” Aghamiri said. “We have several systems for disrupting the network of Starlink satellite terminals.”

He did not specify what measures or devices were used to block Starlink. However, one of the jamming technologies was deployed during the January protests, and authorities are preparing to share it with allied countries.