Starlink Faces Ultimate Test in Iran Amid Crackdown, Geopolitical Scrutiny

News
F
Firstpost•18-01-2026, 13:54
Starlink Faces Ultimate Test in Iran Amid Crackdown, Geopolitical Scrutiny
- •Elon Musk's Starlink faces a major security test in Iran as the country cracks down on dissidents, with SpaceX making the satellite service free for Iranians.
- •Starlink has become crucial for documenting events on the ground in Iran, with Amnesty International verifying videos believed to be from Starlink users.
- •Iran is reportedly using satellite jammers and GPS spoofing tactics to disrupt Starlink signals, impacting internet speeds and connectivity.
- •The situation is being closely watched by U.S. military and intelligence agencies, as well as China, due to Starlink's military variant Starshield and future satellite internet competition.
- •Iran has banned Starlink, passed laws with severe penalties for its use, and pursued diplomatic channels to block the service, while struggling to locate and disable terminals.
Why It Matters: Starlink faces a critical challenge in Iran, testing its resilience against state-sponsored jamming and spoofing tactics.
✦
More like this
Loading more articles...





