As nationwide protests against the rule of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei move into their third week, Iran’s clerical establishment has reportedly escalated its crackdown by activating what experts describe as a military-grade digital “kill switch.” The move has allegedly crippled Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service, plunging nearly 80 million Iranians into near-total digital isolation and cutting off one of the last remaining channels through which protesters could communicate with the outside world.
The unrest, now in its eighteenth day, has been met with severe repression, with reports indicating that more than 500 people have been killed. On the twelfth day of the protests, authorities imposed an almost complete internet blackout, severing access for much of the population. At that point, Starlink briefly emerged as a crucial workaround, allowing demonstrators to upload images and videos despite the shutdown. That window, however, now appears to have closed as well.
According to monitoring groups, the disruption of Starlink traffic began with roughly 30 percent of uplink and downlink connections being affected. Within hours, the outage reportedly worsened, with more than 80 percent of traffic blocked, according to Iran Wire. Digital rights experts say this scale of interference points to the deployment of highly advanced, military-grade jamming systems rather than conventional censorship tools.
Specialists believe the Iranian leadership deliberately targeted Starlink by exploiting its reliance on GPS-based satellite connectivity. Such jamming technology is extremely costly and sophisticated, leading analysts to suggest that the equipment may not be entirely indigenous. Several experts have said it was likely supplied by Russia or China, both of which have experience in electronic warfare and satellite disruption.
The reports of widespread digital outages coincided with comments by US President Donald Trump, who said he intended to speak with Elon Musk about restoring internet access in Iran. Trump has repeatedly warned the Iranian regime of possible consequences and has indicated that Washington is considering a range of options, including military action, in response to the crackdown.
Trump publicly suggested that efforts could be made to bring connectivity back to Iran, praising Musk’s technical capabilities and describing Starlink as uniquely suited to bypassing state controls. His remarks came as pressure mounted on Tehran from both domestic protests and international scrutiny.
The protests themselves have spread to at least 280 locations across Iran, with demonstrators calling for the downfall of the theocratic system amid worsening economic conditions. Anger has surfaced even in traditional clerical strongholds, with slogans targeting Khamenei’s policies and Iran’s support for militant groups abroad while ordinary citizens face inflation, unemployment, and rising living costs. Some protesters have also voiced support for Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who has appealed for international backing, including from Trump.
Iran’s government imposed the latest internet blackout on January 8, mirroring tactics used during previous periods of unrest, including the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests. Since then, Starlink usage inside Iran has reportedly grown, with estimates suggesting that between 40,000 and 50,000 users had access to the satellite service before the latest disruption. Even during earlier conflicts and shutdowns, including the Iran–Israel war, Starlink had enabled limited access to uncensored internet.
In response to this growing reliance, Tehran passed an anti-espionage law banning Starlink and other unauthorised satellite internet services. Under the law, personal use can result in prison sentences, while usage deemed linked to espionage may even carry the death penalty. Despite these measures, Starlink terminals continued to circulate widely until the recent jamming operation.
Digital security experts say the current interference goes beyond standard GPS jamming. Amir Rashidi, an Iran-focused cybersecurity specialist, reported unprecedented levels of packet loss affecting Starlink devices, describing the situation as unlike anything he had seen in two decades of research. Other analysts noted that the blackout is costing Iran’s economy millions of dollars per hour, underscoring the regime’s willingness to absorb severe economic damage to suppress dissent.
Journalists and researchers have pointed out similarities between the tactics now seen in Iran and electronic warfare methods previously used by Russia, particularly in Ukraine, where Moscow attempted to disrupt Starlink and GPS-guided systems. China has also demonstrated large-scale jamming capabilities in military simulations, including scenarios involving satellite disruption over areas comparable in size to Taiwan.
As protests continue despite lethal repression, Iran’s reported use of a Starlink “kill switch” marks a new phase in its effort to control information and isolate its population. With satellite connectivity largely silenced and millions cut off from the digital world, attention has now turned to whether external actors, including Trump and Musk, can find a way to restore access and re-open a crucial lifeline for Iranians seeking to be heard.
