Media: Iran cuts Starlink internet nationwide

Iran has reportedly carried out its first large-scale disruption of the Starlink satellite internet network, affecting over 80% of traffic across the country, according to ArbatMedia.

Monitoring data indicate that the outages lasted several hours and impacted the majority of Starlink connections in Iran.

Satellite internet is considered a crucial backup communication channel and has been relied upon by protesters and activists during previous restrictions on mobile and wired networks.

Until now, Iran had largely been able to block domestic communications, but this marks the first attempt to target satellite internet access on such a broad scale.

When widespread protests erupted in Iran on December 28, the government responded with increasingly severe restrictions on communications that culminated in a near‑total internet blackout.

The demonstrations, which began in Tehran’s bazaars amid a deepening economic crisis and currency collapse, quickly spread to scores of cities across the country as people voiced anger over rising prices and broader frustration with the clerical regime.

In the first days of the unrest, activists and rights groups reported heavy use of social media to organise and share images of protests. But by January 8, authorities had cut off nearly all internet and telephone networks nationwide, according to traffic monitoring organisations.

Connectivity plunged to around one per cent of normal levels, with mobile and international communications effectively severed.

By Aghakazim Guliyev