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Starlink Access Reportedly Made Free in Iran as Authorities Jam and Seize Terminals

Access hinges on smuggled terminals during a nationwide blackout, with users exposed to jamming and seizure.

Overview

  • Activists and a person familiar with Starlink operations say SpaceX has waived fees and reactivated inactive accounts for terminals inside Iran, though the company and the White House have not publicly confirmed it.
  • Internet monitoring groups report a near-total shutdown for roughly five days, with Starlink connections providing limited channels for sending protest footage out of the country.
  • Iranian forces are disrupting Starlink through electronic jamming, including GPS interference reported by experts, with some accounts suggesting outages affecting a large share of terminals.
  • Security services have launched searches and confiscations of Starlink equipment in Tehran and other areas, and possession of the terminals remains illegal under Iranian law.
  • Estimates cited by digital-rights groups put existing Starlink receivers in the tens of thousands, offering only localized access, as President Donald Trump has discussed Iran connectivity with Elon Musk.