SpaceX founder and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks on a screen during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, June 29, 2021. REUTERS
News
F
Firstpost18-01-2026, 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...