Elon Musk's Starlink Devices Keep Internet Running In Iran Despite Ban; How Is Clandestine Network Smuggling Terminals?

The internet shutdown in Iran has lasted over 60 days since the war with the United States and Israel started. However, reports suggest that a smuggling network is sending Starlink devices to the country to bypass the regime-enforced curbs so that it doesn't go off the communication radar.

According to a report by BBC, an individual with the pseudonym Sahand buys the devices and smuggles them into Iran through the borders, in what he described to the news outlet as a 'very complex' operation.

Since January, he has smuggled a dozen Starlink devices into Iran, he was quoted as saying.

How does the device work?

The Starlink device, owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, connects to a network of satellites to provide internet access to the user. The devices bypass the Iran-controlled network. Several users can connect to a terminal at once.

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There were approximately 50,000 Starlink devices in Iran in January, as per Witness, a human rights organisation.

According to a report by the news agency AP, Iranians have been using VPNs and other ways to bypass the Iranian internet, which has certain restrictions on content on YouTube and Instagram.

However, the usage was high before the war started. The ongoing internet ban has caused a surge in the prices of VPNs on the black market.

Why is Starlink usage a bigger concern?

The use of the Starlink device has become risky in Iran as the Islamic regime placed a ban on it last year.

The 2025 legislation made using, buying or selling Starlink devices illegal and violating it could invite a jail term of up to two years.

For importing and distributing more than 10 units of the devices into Iran, the jail term is 10 years.

The BBC report suggests that around 100 people have been arrested for possessing the Starlink terminals.

Who is funding Starlink smuggling into Iran?

The report cited Sahand saying that the operation is funded by Iranians who are settled abroad. The operation is also supported by others who want to help those in the West Asian country.

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The Starlink terminals are being sent to people who they believe will share information internationally through the global network.

"People need the internet to be able to share what's happening on the ground," Sahand was quoted as saying.