Iran witnessed an unprecedented development in January 2026, as authorities succeeded in almost completely cutting off Starlink satellite internet services through the use of advanced military jamming equipment.
After Tehran imposed a general shutdown of terrestrial internet networks to halt the flow of information about widespread protests, activists turned to Starlink, operated by SpaceX and owned by American billionaire Elon Musk, as a digital lifeline to transmit their voices to the outside world.
Starlink communications themselves soon came under intense interference. Reports indicate that nearly 80 percent of its data traffic inside Iran was disrupted within only a few hours.
This dramatic episode highlights how the Starlink system, which began as a private project to provide internet access to remote areas, has evolved into a strategic instrument in conflict zones and a tool through which populations challenge state control over information.
How does Starlink operate on battlefields? How is it smuggled into prohibited countries? What role does it play in enabling Elon Musk to exert political influence in some of the world’s most dangerous conflicts? How do governments attempt to stop it, and what are the legal and ethical controversies surrounding it?
A Communications Lifeline in War Zones
When Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainians found in Starlink a vital communications lifeline after traditional networks were destroyed or disabled.
More than 50,000 Starlink terminals were delivered to the Ukrainian military by early 2025, funded jointly by SpaceX and Western allies.
The system connected soldiers and essential services to the internet even on isolated front lines, enabling the continuation of both civilian and military communications.
Ukrainian units used Starlink to guide drones and direct long range artillery in real time.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence publicly acknowledged Starlink’s role and thanked Elon Musk for keeping them connected during the most difficult periods.
Starlink’s presence was not limited to Ukraine. It was also offered as an emergency solution in natural disasters and other regions around the world.
Following the devastating eruption of the Tonga volcano in January 2022, Elon Musk donated around 50 free Starlink terminals to cover remote islands that had been completely cut off from the internet, restoring connectivity to isolated communities until communication cables were repaired.
Similarly, Musk offered to provide Starlink to Turkey after the February 2023 earthquake when networks faltered, but Ankara declined the offer, preferring to rely on its domestic infrastructure for reasons of sovereignty.
During the assault on Gaza in 2023, when bombardment led to widespread communication outages, Musk proposed activating Starlink for international humanitarian organisations in the territory. The proposal was met with strong Israeli warnings, with the government threatening to take all possible measures to cut the service.
This pattern confirms that Starlink has come to be viewed as a form of sovereign infrastructure during crises. States and armies sometimes rely on it as a last resort to maintain connectivity, while other governments are reluctant to accept it for fear of losing control or having it used against their security interests.
Starlink Enters the Black Market
At the same time, a thriving black market for Starlink devices emerged during the 2022 to 2023 protests against the Iranian system.
After the United States granted an exceptional licence to SpaceX to activate the service over Iran amid the suppression of protests, activist networks abroad raced to smuggle hundreds of Starlink terminals into the country.
The devices are trafficked through neighbouring states such as the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Gulf countries, as Starlink holds no operating licence in Iran.
The equipment is sold at exorbitant prices inside Iran, reaching up to three times its global cost. While the device costs around 500 US dollars internationally with a monthly subscription of 110 dollars, prices inside Iran exceed 1,500 dollars per terminal, excluding subscription fees.
These high costs restrict ownership to a narrow elite. As a result, some users share a single device among multiple families or within apartment buildings to spread expenses, echoing the practice of sharing banned satellite dishes in the 1990s.
Starlink and Official Bans
While Starlink has offered hope to war zones and disaster stricken areas, it has also become a major irritant for authoritarian systems seeking to control information.
In Iran, despite secrecy, authorities track smuggled devices and confiscate them when discovered. In November 2023, security forces seized 22 Starlink devices and claimed they were equipment backed by the US Central Intelligence Agency for opposition groups.
Those found in possession of a Starlink device in Iran face criminal charges including possession of smuggled goods, which can result in imprisonment. In 2023, parliament passed legislation classifying unauthorised satellite internet use as a crime linked to espionage, punishable by six months to two years in prison, and potentially the death penalty if associated with collaboration.
Despite this, human rights sources estimate that tens of thousands of active Starlink users existed inside Iran by late 2025, revealing the scale of the challenge facing the authorities in preventing devices from crossing porous borders and meeting growing public demand for unmonitored internet access.
Russia has officially banned Starlink since 2021 and threatened fines of up to 30,000 roubles for individuals and one million roubles for companies found using it, viewing the system as a Western project aimed at undermining its digital sovereignty, particularly after Ukrainians used it to bypass internet shutdowns in war zones.
China, in addition to refusing to grant Starlink an operating licence on its territory, closely monitors its global expansion and regards it as a threat to national security.
Beijing publicly expressed concern in January 2024 following SpaceX’s announcement of a new generation of satellites designed for direct communication services. The Chinese military warned that the project could form part of a US military system enabling rapid targeting of adversaries.
Official Chinese publications cautioned that the spread of thousands of Starlink satellites grants Washington space dominance and creates a security challenge for both Beijing and Moscow.
China has not stopped at warnings. Chinese researchers have begun studying offensive methods to disable or destroy Starlink satellites if necessary, including the use of lasers from interceptor satellites or even the development of suicide anti satellite systems.
Musk as a Political Actor in Conflict Hotspots
The rise of the system and the expansion of its role have created an unprecedented test of the principle of neutrality in critical infrastructure and the limits of private sector influence in international politics. As the owner of SpaceX and Starlink, Elon Musk has found himself in the position of a decision maker whose choices affect the course of sensitive conflicts.
In Ukraine, despite the vital role his system played in sustaining communications, Musk did not hesitate to restrict its use for offensive military purposes.
Reports revealed that in September 2022, during a Ukrainian counteroffensive to reclaim occupied territory, Musk issued a secret order to disable Starlink coverage in certain areas near the front lines, such as the Kherson region. This led to a communications blackout for Ukrainian units at a critical moment.
Musk later justified his stance by expressing concern that a major Ukrainian attack, such as targeting the Russian fleet in Crimea, could provoke a Russian nuclear response and catastrophic escalation. He had previously refused a request from Kyiv to activate Starlink in Crimea in 2022 for the same reason.
Even in Washington, these incidents raised alarm among policymakers, as Musk’s influence in communications and space exceeded levels usually reserved for heads of state.
In the United Kingdom, House of Lords member Martha Lane Fox commented that Musk’s current global dominance illustrates the dangers of concentrating power in largely unregulated domains. She noted that control over Starlink rests entirely in his hands, allowing personal impulses to dictate access to vital infrastructure.
Musk also found himself in an open dispute with Israel when he offered Starlink services to humanitarian organisations in Gaza. The Israeli communications minister at the time publicly attacked him and threatened to sever relations.
This dual role of Starlink as both a technical saviour and a strategic disruptor has generated complex ethical and legal dilemmas. Supporters argue that it breaks state monopolies on information and saves lives by keeping the world connected during disasters and conflicts. Critics counter that its private control over a global communications platform raises serious questions about accountability and sovereignty.
In sum, Starlink’s rise has produced a new reality in the worlds of connectivity and conflict. Satellite internet has become an unavoidable factor in calculations of war and protest movements. It offers unprecedented opportunities to break information blockades, while simultaneously creating a new source of tension between technology giants and states.
