Overview
- Independent monitors reported a roughly 98–99% collapse in Iran’s national connectivity after authorities cut service on Jan. 8.
- SpaceX confirmed Starlink access is now free for users in Iran, yet connections remain scarce under intense government countermeasures.
- Digital activists estimate roughly 50,000 Starlink terminals were smuggled into the country despite a ban that carries severe penalties.
- Iran is using satellite jammers and GPS spoofing that slow terminals to basic messaging and aid authorities in locating devices, according to researchers and activists.
- Starlink links have enabled verified videos of shootings and casualties to reach rights groups, which cite estimates of around 3,000 people killed, as militaries, regulators and investors scrutinize SpaceX’s response and U.S. lawmakers press Apple to enable satellite messaging for Iranians.