- January 12, 2026
- 2:37 pm
- Middle East
In Iran, amid mass protests, a sharp disruption in the operation of Starlink has been recorded: according to Iran Wire and specialized observers, a way to block the satellite internet signal has been found within the country. Simultaneously, the authorities have shut down international and domestic communication networks, including satellite access services, to limit the spread of information.
The key detail of this story is the nature of the interference. Internet researcher Amir Rashidi stated that initially about 30% of Starlink traffic was interrupted, and then the figure rose to more than 80%. These are no longer “ordinary” disruptions but signs of systemic, large-scale blocking.
Jamming technology referred to as “military-grade”
Rashidi emphasizes: the interference resembles the operation of military-grade equipment, and such signals against Starlink in Iran had not been recorded before. In his assessment, the technology used is complex, requires the deployment of multiple sources of interference, and does not look like an improvised solution.
There is a separate version regarding the origin: either the solution was developed within Iran, or the equipment and expertise could have been obtained from outside — primarily mentioning Russia or China. It is noted that the “jammers” are unevenly distributed across the country, so the quality of Starlink can vary greatly depending on the location: in some places, the connection still breaks through, while in others it almost completely disappears.
Why Starlink became a critical node
Amid the shutdown of regular internet, Starlink was perceived as the “last channel” through which people could access an uncontrolled network, transmit videos, confirm events, and coordinate assistance. According to estimates, the number of Starlink subscribers in Iran reached 40–50 thousand people.
In the summer of 2025, when Iran was already restricting internet access, some users managed to get uncensored access specifically through the satellite service. Therefore, the current disruption looks like an attempt to close this loophole — not with administrative provider blocks, but with physical impact on the radio channel.
Context of protests and information blockade
Protests in Iran continue, with demonstrators taking to the streets in major cities, including Tehran and Mashhad. Reports indicate the number of deaths exceeding a hundred and massive arrests. The authorities simultaneously warn the US and Israel against interference and voice threats of retaliatory actions.
Due to the shutdown of communication and external network access, assessing the scale of demonstrations and the level of violence becomes increasingly difficult. This is why there are fears abroad that the information blockade could create conditions for harsher repressions: when there is no video, no confirmations, no independent chronicle — reality is easier to “rewrite.”
US President Donald Trump publicly expressed support for the protesters, using phrases about Iran’s “freedom” and the US’s readiness to help. Against this backdrop, Tehran is intensifying rhetoric about “external interference,” and the technological struggle over communication becomes part of the political escalation.
China, Russia, and “field tests” on Iranian territory
In the information field, there is a version that Iran could become a platform where methods of suppressing satellite communication are tested in practice. According to one line of reports, Russia could have provided equipment, and China — research and practical instructions on suppressing the signal in the Ku-band.
It is separately emphasized that there was previously a widespread belief: satellites in low Earth orbit are harder to “jam,” and Starlink’s frequency adjustment makes it resilient. But the current episode calls this belief into question because the scale of the disruption looks like proof of the approach’s effectiveness.
Another important conclusion is the difference between software and hardware protection. SpaceX previously adapted software in Ukraine to counter interference, but in the Iranian case, the problem, according to the discussed version, may lie deeper — at the level of hardware and the density of ground jamming sources.
What this episode means beyond Iran
The story with Starlink in Iran is not only about censorship and protests. It is a signal that satellite internet, which was perceived as “uninterruptible,” can be vulnerable given the resources, technologies, and political will.
For the region, this means an increase in the role of communication as a weapon: first, providers are turned off, then mobile networks are suppressed, and then they reach the satellite channel. And for the outside world — the risk of a new norm, where regimes will not just block websites but try to physically suppress communication infrastructure.
This is why this story goes beyond a “technical news”: amid protests, threats, and information isolation, Iran shows a model that others may want to replicate — and in this sense, NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency records that the struggle for communication is becoming one of the main fronts of modern crises.